The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Sunday advised the embattled Senator – elect and hotelier, Prince Buruji Kashamu, to channel his energy to face the facts of his case and stop blaming innocent people for his predicaments.
NDLEA urged Kashamu who is under house arrest in his Lekki – Lagos residence since Saturday by the Operatives of the agency, to “act honourably and concentrate on his case.”
In a statement by the Head of Public Affairs unit, NDLEA, Ofoyeju Mitchell, he called on Kashamu to leave the duo of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and ex – Deputy National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, out of his personal problem.
Mitchel noted while the Anti – drugs law agency intensifies effort for Senator-elect, Buruji Kashamu to appear before the Federal High Court on Monday, a formal request for his extradition has also been received from the Embassy of the United States of America.
Relying on an official report, he stated that Kashamu has been on the wanted list of both the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
“Kashamu was indicted in the Northern District of Illinois, United States on charges brought against him by ICE. According to the United States court documents, Kashamu in his days as the leader of a prolific heroin trafficking ring based in Chicago, Illinois was known as “God,” “Daddy,” and “Kasmal”.
“He is wanted to stand trial on charges of conspiracy and importation of controlled substances, namely heroin, into the United States dating back to 1994.
“Kashamu, who holds dual Nigerian/Beninese citizenship, has taken multiple preemptive actions to thwart U.S. extradition efforts such as making fanciful claims that his is a case of mistaken identity, and that his deceased brother is responsible for the crimes he is being sought after in the United States.
“He has filed injunctions at the federal court both in the Northern District of Illinois, United States and in Nigeria to prevent his arrest and prosecution.
“These are issues that Kashamu should prepare to address rather than point accusing fingers at eminent elder Statesmen who have no connection with the ongoing investigative process.
“The Senator – elect who was placed on house arrest at the weekend is expected to appear in court in less than 24 hours.
“We expect Kashamu as a distinguished senator-elect to demonstrate ample confidence in the Nigerian judicial system and stop the blame game,” the statement reads.
In his reaction, the media aide to Kashamu, Austin Oniyokor, however, berated the drug agency, accusing it of being the mouthpiece of Obasanjo and George.
The statement said, “We do not know when the NDLEA becomes the spokespersons for Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Chief Bode George. We do not need them to tell us to address our issues.
“We are addressing our issues. We had told the court of the planned abduction of Kashamu and the NDLEA was represented. The court had given an order asking all the parties to stay action, pending the determination of the suit which had been fixed for Wednesday.”
Oniyokor explained that Kashamu refused to hand himself over to the NDLEA operatives, who stormed his Lagos residence on Ladipo Street, Lekki Phase 1, on Saturday, because they could not produce a warrant of arrest.
He said if the NDLEA provides a warrant of arrest against Kashamu, the PDP chieftain would “hand himself over to them but if not, he will not.”
