A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, southwest Nigeria, has dismissed as an academic exercise the criminal contempt charge that the Ogun state Senator Buruji Kashamu was pursuing against the Attorney General of the Federation and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.

Justice Ibrahim Bubam presiding at the court however affirmed the order issued by Justice Okon Abang nullifying the provisional warrant of arrest procured by the NDLEA, to arrest Kashamu, who is wanted in the United States in connection with an alleged drug ring.

Buruji Kashamu: continues legal battle to stall extradition case

Buba further said he could not make any pronouncement on the matter since there is pending order of the court that Buruji Kashamu should not be arrested, therefore, no extradition proceedings could commence against him until the judgement of the court is appealed against.

Consequently, the preliminary objection filed and argued by counsel representing both AGF and NDLEA, and their written addresses were dismissed.

Prior to today’s ruling, Justice Buba had dismissed four oral applications made by AGF in respect of the suit.

The judge dismissed the oral applications made by AGF counsel, Mr. Emeka Ngige, SAN, in respect of the appeal filed at the Appeal Court against the ruling of the court and seeking to stay proceedings of the court.

The judge said there was no notice of appeal before the court, and he could not by oral application defer committal proceedings.

The judge also said he has not been informed that the order made by Justice Okon Abang in May has been set aside.

In the committal proceedings filed before the court, Kashamu through his lawyer, Mr. Ajibola Oluyede, sought a court declaration that both AGF and NDLEA chairman committed contempt of the court by obstructing the administration of justice evidenced by the wilful violation of the judgment of the court of January 6, 2014, in suit number FHC/L/CS/49/2014 and in order to preempt the judgment of the court in suit number FHC/L/CS/508/2015.

The suit was in response to the extradition of Kashamu made by the United States of America, USA, in regards to the allegations that Kashamu was complicit in narcotic offences over which he has been exonerated by a British judge.

He is also seeking a court declaration that the invasion, destruction of properties, harassment, humiliation, arrest, and his detention by NDLEA at the instance of AGF from Saturday, May 23, 2015, and any extradition proceeding commenced thereupon undermined the integrity of the judicial process invoked in suit number FHC/L/CS/49/2010 and FHC/L/CS/508/2015.