TheCable

The federal government will soon initiate a fresh legal action for the extradition of Buruji Kashamu, senator representing Ogun east, to the US.

According to PUNCH, the suit will be filed against the senator as soon as the US government makes a fresh request.

The move is coming after the appeal court set aside a restraining order Kashamu had obtained against the federal government and its agencies.

The appeal court on May 3 held that the senator could be arrested if he had a case to answer. The court said Kashamu could not back up his claim that some unnamed persons were trying to abduct him.

The senator is alleged to have been involved in drug activities in the US.

Citing sources, the newspaper said the earlier extradition request by the US was overtaken by events.

“With the recent judgment of the court of appeal, the coast is now clear to file fresh extradition proceedings,” the newspaper quoted a source as saying.

“The US government has been told to make a fresh request for the senator after the former extradition proceedings were dismissed. We had been waiting for the orders hindering the extradition to be set aside by the appellate court.

“With the judgment of the court of appeal now, we would have just revived the former proceedings but since the case was not just struck out but dismissed by the federal high court, it means the process must start afresh.”

The source was quoted to have said Kashamu’s appeal of the court judgement would not stop “extradition proceedings once everything needed to set it in motion is ready”.