NDLEA ORDERED TO STOP HARRASSING KASHAMU BY SENATE

indexThe National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has been ordered by the Senate on Wednesday to stop further harassment of Senator Buruji Kashamu over alleged drug related offences committed in the United States of America.

Kashamu’s lawyer, Ajibola Oluyede, had previously forwarded a petition to the Senate’s committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions over a planned abduction of the embattled senator by the NDLEA. This decision by the Senate was a sequel to that petition.

Kashamu told the committee through his lawyer that based on information he got from some whistle blowers within the agency, while the plan to abduct him has reached advance stage, the arrangement is that he should be whisked to the United States on phantom charges of drug trafficking.

Oluyede informed the committee that the plan which is coded ‘rendition plot’, had always been used by the American government against fugitives or terrorists, non of which Kashamu can be said to be.

Kashamu’s counsel specifically fingered the immediate past Chairman of NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade as the person behind the plot, saying, having failed to achieve such illegal action against Kashamu when he was NDLEA boss through court pronouncements, he (Giade) was now trying to achieve it as Special Assistant on Narcotics to the Attorney- General of the Federation (AGF).

He said, “We have it on good authority that the former Chairman of NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade, who is now a special assistant on narcotics to the Attorney General of the Federation, is hell bent in achieving what he failed to illegally achieve against our client, Buruji Kashamu.

“Specifically, whistle blowers within the agency, had informed us that abduction plan against our client is being perfected, the reason why we are here before you to call the agency to order, since competent court of jurisdiction had ruled against such harassment and plots in May last year.

“The NDLEA under Giade on the 23rd of May last year invaded the Lagos residence of Senator Buruji Kashamu on the same phantom allegation but asked to vacate the place by the Federal High Court in Lagos on the 27th of the same month, with ruling that “Nigeria had no business operating with foreign government against Kashamu on matters that had been adjudicated upon years back in favour of the senator”.

In his response, Deputy Chairman of the committee, Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah who described the said whistle blowers within NDLEA as internal conspirators noted, however, that it was wrong for the agency to be carrying out any of its operations without regard for the rule of law, especially when such alleged plots had been ruled against by a competent court of law.

Na’Allah said based on facts on ground, the senate was aligning itse with the petitioner (Kashamu) by frowning at a situation whereby a public servant will refuse to obey a court ruling.

He added that in view of the legal status between Kashamu and federal government, any purported plot against the senator by the agency should be discarded for now.

In his submission, the committee chairman, Seantor Samuel Anyanwu told the NDLEA officials present to maintain status quo pending completion of thorough investigation into the allegation.

In their submission, while the NDLEA representative on behalf of the Chairman, Roli Bode George sought to be excused from the investigation since the matter is before the court of Appeal, the Attorney General of the federation and the former NDLEA boss sought for more time to appear before the committee.

Kashamu later told journalists that he had never in his life stepped his feet on the soil of America, let alone engage in any criminal activities in thatinal activities in that country.

He maintained that the case was purely one of mistaken identity that had already been adjudicated upon by a court of competent jurisdiction in the United Kingdom in his favour after which he came back to Nigeria in 2003 to join in its development. “If it is not because of politics, I wouldn’t have been facing this travail”, the Senator cried out.

Previous post ARMY SAYS EXPLOSIONS IN BENIN NOT CAUSED BY BOMB
Next post NLC, TUC, Others To Protest Increase In Electricity Tariffs
Top