TheCable

A federal high court in Lagos has ordered the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) out of the residence of Buruji Kashamu, the senator-elect of Ogun east district.

NDLEA stormed the private residence of Kashamu in the Lekki area of Lagos in the early hours of Saturday with the intention of arresting him based “on a formal request of extradition from the United States government”.

NDLEA said Kashamu was to be charged for drug-related offences.

But he refused to be arrested, prompting the narcotic agency to say he “would be under house arrest till Monday when he would be taken to court”.

On Monday, the senator-elect failed to show up in court, citing lack of arrest warrant.

However, Ajibola Oloyede, counsel to Kashamu, filed a suit of committal proceedings against Mohammed Adoke, attorney-general of the federation and Ahmadu Gaide, chairman of NDLEA, for attempting to arrest Kashamu without obtaining warrant from the court.

The suit was filed before Justice Ibrahim Buba, who then summoned both men to appear before him by 12 noon on Tuesday.

In his ruling on Tuesday, Buba pronounced the action of NDLEA as subjudice and directed the police to ensure that NDLEA operatives vacate Kashamu’s premises.

“I am of the opinion that the justice of this case at this point demands that the men of the NDLEA numbering up to 50 or more stationed at the residence of the applicant are ordered to vacate the premises in view of the subsisting order made by Abang,” he ruled.

“The parties shall stay all actions pending the determination of the application before Abang.

“The Nigeria Police Force is directed or informed that there is an alleged contempt proceedings instituted by the applicant against the respondents, who are parties to ensure that orders of this court are obeyed, as it is the duty of all authorities and principalities and agents of government to obey court order.

“There shall be no room for a free for all.”

Kashamu had earlier instituted a case before Okon Abang, a justice of the federal high court in Lagos, to prevent any move to arrest him.

Joined in the suit were the inspector-general of police (IGP) and 13 others.

He alleged that there was a conspiracy between the law enforcement agencies in Nigeria and the US to humiliate him and prevent his swearing-in as senator.

He accused Obasanjo of plotting to stop his progress politically and of desperation to use propaganda against him to give impression that he had been convicted for drug-related offences in the United Kingdom (UK) or US.

Kashamu said the international criminal police organisation (INTERPOL) was instigated to investigate him on the basis of these allegations in 2008, after which the agency published a report dated March 4, 2008, saying that he was never declared wanted.