Kashamu’s extradition: Court awards N50,000 each to DSS, NDLEA

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Kashamu’s extradition: Court awards N50,000 each to DSS, NDLEA

 

A Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday awarded N50,000 each in favour of the Director-General, State Security Service (DSS) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, in a suit instituted by Sen. Buruji Kashamu.

Kashamu is seeking to stop his extradition to the United States, to face drug-related charges.

Kashamu, a Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District at the National Assembly, had in his suit labelled FHC/L/CS/930/2018, joined the following as respondents: The Inspector General of Police, Commissioner of Police, Lagos Police Command, Director General, State Security Service (DSS), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA, and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).

He is urging the court 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.

In a ruling, Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, gave the order, following the absence of the Kashamu’s lawyer, Mrs Ifeoma Esom.

Justice Aneke asked Mr O.Bajela who appeared and J.N. Sunday who appeared for the DSS and NDLEA if they had seen a letter from the plaintiff counsel, seeking adjournment over another case she had at the Court of Appeal.

Responding, they expressed dissatisfaction over the frequent adjournment, on the grounds that the case had been adjourned severally at the instance of the plaintiff.

He added that it was the case of the plaintiff and they ought to exhibit diligence.

Consequently, the third defence counsel urged the court to award a cost of N100,000 in its favour against the plaintiff.

In the same vein, fourth defence counsel also asked for a cost of N200,000 against the plaintiff.

Justice Aneke awarded a cost of N50,000 each in favour of third and fourth defendants and adjourned the case until Oct. 31 for hearing..

NAN reports that Aneke had taken arguments in the suit from respective parties and had reserved his judgment until April 29.

On April 29, judgment could not be delivered in the suit as the period fell within the Easter vacation, and the court did not sit.

Recall that on May 10, the case was set down for hearing on June 6.

In a supporting affidavit, the applicant averred that by a newspaper publication, the Attorney General of the Federation was reported to have said that the U.S. Government had been told to make fresh request for his extradition after the former proceedings were dismissed.

He averred that, in a proceeding instituted in England by the U.S. authorities between 2002 and 2003, it was established that he was not the one implicated in the alleged narcotics offence committed in the U.S. in 1994.

He said that consequently, he was not the person sought after by the U.S. authorities.

Kashamu, is, therefore, urging the court to restrain the respondents and their agents from arresting or detaining him in any manner whatsoever, or interfering with the applicants’ right to personal liberty and freedom of movement.

Meanwhile, in a preliminary objection, deposed to by one Kareem Olayinka, the NDLEA averred that authorities of the United States are currently seeking to extradite the applicant to their country, to answer charges relating to Heroine trafficking.

He said that the U.S. government then made a request to the Nigerian government, for the applicant to be extradited sometime in May 2015.

The Agency said that since Kashamu got wind of the extradition request, he has filed multiplicity of lawsuits relating to the issue.

He averred that in all these actions the basic relief sought, is a restraining order against the NDLEA, from arresting and extraditing him to the U.S.

According to the NDLEA, this suit does not disclose any cause of action against the respondent, adding that the multiplicity of the action by the applicant against the NDLEA is intended to divert its energy and attention from discharging its mandate to the nation.

He, avers, therefore, that the NDLEA needs the protection of the court to stop this trend, as the applicant is only engaged in shopping for a forum that will grant his desired reliefs.

The Agency is, therefore, asking the court to dismiss the suit

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Dasuki FG, DSS, Demands Immediate Release, N5b Compensation

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Dasuki FG, DSS, Demands Immediate Release, N5b Compensation

The embattled former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), has filed a fresh fundamental human rights enforcement suit before the Federal High Court in Abuja against the Department of State Services.

The former NSA is demanding for his unconditional release.

Dasuki, who has been detained by the DSS since December 29, 2015, also demanded N5bn as “general damages and compensation” for the alleged violation of his rights.

In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/263/2018 and filed on March 15, 2018, the ex-NSA also urged the court “to order the three respondents to the suit to tender public apology to him in two widely published newspapers for the violation of his rights as enshrined under Sections 34(1), 35(1), (4) & (5), 37 & 41(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).”

The Director General of the DSS, Mr. Lawal Daura, the DSS itself, and the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami, are joined as the first to the third respondents to the suit.

The suit has been assigned to Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court but no date has been fixed for its hearing.

The judgment of the Economic Community of West African States Court of Justice delivered on October 4, 2016 ordering the release of the ex-NSA from the custody of the DSS is yet to be obeyed by the Federal Government.

The court had in its judgment declared the ex-NSA’s continued detention as unlawful, arbitrary and a violation of his right to liberty and awarded N15m damages against the Federal Government in favour of the detainee.

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BREAKING NEWS 2010 Independence Day Bombing: Jonathan Wants Me To Implicate IBB, El-Rufia, Others - Suspect Charles Okah

BREAKING NEWS
2010 Independence Day Bombing: Jonathan Wants Me To Implicate IBB, El-Rufia, Others - Suspect Charles Okah

Charles Okah, the alleged mastermind of the 2010 Independence Day bombing, has alleged that former President Goodluck Jonathan wanted him to implicate ex-Military Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida, IBB, Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, and founder of African Independent Television, Dr. Raymond Dokpesi.

Okah, who is standing trial for charges bordering on terrorism before an Abuja Federal High Court, insisted that Jonathan implicated him for failing to do his biddings.

The Department of State Services, DSS, had on 16 October 2010 arrested Okah alongside his son at his residence in Lagos for alleged terrorism and treason in relation to the Independence Day bombing.

Following his arrest, Okah said, they were flown to the DSS Headquarters in Abuja.

He said, “Just before midnight of 17 October 2010, heavily armed hooded DSS operatives burst into my cell and took me blindfolded to an outside location with the aim of trying to intimidate me into believing I was going to be summarily executed. On Monday, October 18, at about 12 noon, I was brought out of my cell to be interrogated for the first time.

Disclosing that interrogators were very friendly and respectful to them in Abuja, Okah claimed they explained to him that he was not their target, but were only seeking his support for “my South-South brother, Goodluck Jonathan” which was to implicate General Babangida (Retd.), who was perceived to be running against Jonathan for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential ticket, Saharareporters said.

He claimed that his interrogators made him lucrative contract offers and freedom for him and his son in exchange for false testimony that would suggest that his visit to the Abuja residence of General Babangida around March 2010 was when and where they plotted to assassinate ex-President Jonathan through car bombs during the 2010 Independence Day celebration at the Eagle Square.

Okah alleged that he was also requested to name, as “co-conspirators, Dr. Raymond Dokpesi, Mr. Nasir El-Rufai and his younger brother, Henry” but he refused the offers, this led to him been taken back to his cell and asked to “think it over.”

“The plot to implicate me by the government was as a result of my refusal to do the bidding of former President Jonathan to implicate Mr. Nasir El-Rufai and General Babangida,” he said.

 

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Court Rejects Dasuki Freedom Bid

BREAKING NEWS

Court Rejects Dasuki Freedom Bid

The Supreme Court has rejected the bid by detained former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki, seeking his release from custody of the Department of State Services, DSS.

Dasuki had filed the appeal challebging his continued detention by the secret police.

The former NSA also prayed that the apex court suspends his trial pending his release.

However, the apex court dismissed the appeal for lacking in merit.

In a unanimous judgment of a five-man panel read by Justice Ejembi Eko, the apex court held that Dasuki’s continued detention was not a violation of any order.

The court said Dasuki’s detention was not at the instance of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that put him on trial.

It further said the bail granted Dasuki in respect of criminal charges brought against him by EFCC have been obeyed having been implemented by the Comptroller of Prison on December 29, 2015.

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