Buruji Kashamu
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency
has advised the Senator-elect for Ogun-East senatorial district, Mr.
Buruji Kashamu, to concentrate his effort on defending himself before
the Federal High Court where he is expected to appear on Monday (today).
The agency reiterated that the decision
to drag him before the court followed a formal request for his
extradition by the United States.
In a statement by its Head of Public
Affairs, Mr. Ofoyeju Mitchell, on Sunday, the NDLEA urged Kashamu to
save his energy for the hearing of the extradition application.
Kashamu is the Chairman, Organisastion
and Mobilisation Committee of the PDP in the South-West and he was a
staunch supporter of President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election bid.
He fell out with former President
Olusegun Obasanjo and teamed up with President Goodluck Jonathan during
the battle for the control of the party in Ogun State.
The agency said it was wrong of Kashamu
to finger Obasanjo and a leader of the PDP in Lagos State, Chief Bode
George, as being behind his present travails.
According to the NDLEA, Kashamu had been
on the wanted list of both the US Drug Enforcement Administration, and
the Immigration and Customs Enforcement of the Department of Homeland
Security.
The statement read in part, “According
to an official report, Kashamu has been on the wanted list of both the
US Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Immigration and Customs
Enforcement of the Department of Homeland Security.
“Kashamu was indicted in the Northern District of Illinois, United States, on charges brought against him by ICE.
“According to the United States court
documents, Kashamu in his days as the leader of a prolific
heroin-trafficking ring based in Chicago, Illinois, was known as ‘god,’
‘Daddy, and ‘Kasmal.’ He is wanted to stand trial for charges of
conspiracy and importation of controlled substances, namely heroin, into
the United States dating back to 1994.
“Kashamu, who holds dual
Nigerian/Beninoise citizenship, has taken multiple pre-emptive actions
to thwart US extradition efforts such as claiming that he was being
mistaken for his deceased brother whom he claimed committed the alleged
offences in the US.”
The statement also said that Kashamu had
filed injunctions at courts in the Northern District of Illinois,
United States, and in Nigeria to prevent his arrest and prosecution.
The NDLEA said, “These are issues that
Kashamu should prepare to address rather than point accusing fingers at
eminent elder statesmen who have no connection with the ongoing
investigative process. The senator who was placed on house arrest at the
weekend is expected to appear in court in less than 24 hours.
“We expect Kashamu, as a distinguished
senator-elect, to demonstrate ample confidence in the Nigerian judicial
system and stop the blame game.”
Meanwhile, armed NDLEA operatives have
gained access into the residence of the embattled politician, where he
has been confined to his bedroom.
His lawyer, Ajibola Oluyede, who spoke
with our correspondent near the residence, on Sunday, said Kashamu had
not been allowed to leave his bedroom since Saturday.
Oluyede said, “He has been locked inside
the room while about 15 armed operatives are in the house. As I speak
to you, I have not even seen him. We have only been talking through the
door.
This is disheartening because his little children and his pregnant wife are all in the house with him.”
When asked to comment on the allegation
that Kashamu threatened suicide, the lawyer said, “He is obviously
traumatised but I wouldn’t say he is suicidal.”
Oluyede alleged that the NDLEA had no
plan of taking Kashamu to court on Monday (today) but only later decided
to do so because the media got involved.
“Their plan was to get him as early as
4am and put him on the plane to the United States. It was never their
plan to take him to court. It was when the media reported the incident
that they decided to take him to court,” he said.
About 15 patrol vehicles were seen
blocking all entries that lead to Kashamu’s home while over 20 security
agents were seen patrolling the street.
Residents of the estate were made to take alternative routes as all roads leading to Kashamu’s home were blocked.
In his reaction, the media aide to
Kashamu, Austin Oniyokor, however, berated the drug agency, accusing it
of being the mouthpiece of Obasanjo and George.
The statement said, “We do not know when
the NDLEA becomes the spokespersons for Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and
Chief Bode George. We do not need them to tell us to address our issues.
“We are addressing our issues. We had
told the court of the planned abduction of Kashamu and the NDLEA was
represented. The court had given an order asking all the parties to stay
action, pending the determination of the suit which had been fixed for
Wednesday.”
Oniyokor explained that Kashamu refused
to hand himself over to the NDLEA operatives, who stormed his Lagos
residence on Ladipo Street, Lekki Phase 1, on Saturday, because they
could not produce a warrant of arrest.
He said if the NDLEA provides a warrant
of arrest against Kashamu, the PDP chieftain would “hand himself over to
them but if not, he will not.”
But a member of PDP Board of Trustees,
Chief Ebenezer Babatope, described the allegation by Kashamu that George
was behind his travails as sad and ridiculous.
A statement by Babatope on Sunday said,
“It is sad and ridiculous of Senator-elect, Chief Buruji Kashamu, to
accuse Chief Bode George of being behind his current ordeal with the men
of the NDLEA.
“This allegation is not true. I have
known George for over 46 years and I know him never to go on a
witch-hunt of anyone as a result of personal differences or
disagreements. Though the wife of George is the Director-General of the
NDLEA, he can never attack the person of Kashamu.
“I call on Kashamu to look somewhere else in locating those who might have been involved in his travails.”
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