The Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Buruji Kashamu, was on yesterday ordered to pay a cost to the tune of N50,000 each in favour of the Director-General, Department of State Service (DSS) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The order came from Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of a Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos State, Nigeria, in an action instituted by Senator Kashamu, seeking to stop his extradition to the United States to face drug-related charges.
In the suit designated FHC/L/CS/930/2018, Senator Kashamu has as respondents, the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Commissioner of Police, CP, Lagos Police Command, Director General, DG, Department of State Service (DSS), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).
In the legal confrontation, Senator Kashamu is asking Justice Aneke to restrain the respondents and their agents from arresting or detaining him, in any manner whatsoever, or interfering with his right to personal liberty and freedom of movement.
But, Justice Aneke, in his ruling which came consequent upon the absence of Kashamu’s lawyer, Ifeoma Esom, had asked O. Bajela who appeared and J.N. Sunday who appeared for the DSS and NDLEA respectively, if they had seen a letter from the plaintiff’s counsel, seeking adjournment over another case she had at the Court of Appeal.
However in their response, both the DSS and NDLEA’s lawyers expressed their sadness over the frequent adjournment, on the grounds that the case had been adjourned several times at the instance of the plaintiff.
The lawyers added that it was the case of the plaintiff and they ought to exhibit diligence. As a result, lawyer to the third defendant prayed the judge to award a cost to the tune of N100,000 in its favor against the plaintiff.
On its part, counsel to the fourth defendant requested that the court should award a cost of N200,000 against the plaintiff.
But in his ruling, Justice Aneke awarded a cost of N50,000 each in favour of the third and fourth defendants.
The judge thereafter adjourned the case till October 31, 2019 for hearing.
It would be recalled that Justice Aneke had entertained arguments on the legal action from respective parties and had reserved his judgment until April 29, 2019.
But on April 29, 2019, the judgement could not be delivered in the suit as the period fell within the Easter vacation, and the court did not sit. Consequently, the case was adjourned till May 10, 2019.
Then again on May 10, 2019, the case was adjourned for hearing till June 6, 2019.
According to supporting affidavit, the applicant had argued that by a newspaper publication, the Attorney General of the Federation was reported to have said the U.S. Government had been told to make a fresh request for his extradition after the former proceedings were dismissed.
