Kashamu Says Obasanjo, INTERPOL Working with US to Abduct Him
Seeks NHRC’s intervention
Tobi Soniyi A People Democratic Party (PDP) leader in the South-west and Senator-elect for Ogun East senatorial district, Mr. Buruji Kashamu, has alleged that former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s working with United States of America’s security agencies to have him extradited to the US to answer charges on drug-related indictment.
In a petition addressed to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Kashamu is asking the commission to investigate the alleged move to abduct him and forcibly take him to the US to answer charges on drug-related offences.
The petition, dated April 15, 2015, was written on his behalf by Mr. Abiola Oluyede and titled: ‘Prince Buruji Kashamu: Abduction Plans By United States of America Agents in Collaboration with Law Enforcement Agencies in Nigeria.’
The petition which is addressed to the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Professor Bem Angwe. states: “Kashamu has instructed that we bring certain important facts and records to your attention with regard to the illegality of this plan and the malicious and unpatriotic motives of those behind it and seek your urgent intervention in accordance with the jurisdiction expressly given to your commission by the National Human Rights Act 1995 as amended to carry out inquiry into the matter in order to establish the culpability and compromise of certain institution in this despicable plan and to protect our client’s fundamental human right to liberty, life and dignity of the person.”
Kashamu said despite several decisions both in Nigeria and the United Kingdom which exonerated him from the alleged offences, desperate politicians had been putting pressure on the Attorney General of the Federation to resuscitate the US indictment against him in Nigeria and to instigate an extradition process against him on the accusations.
According to him, the current plan to abduct him is an admission by the US authorities that there is no case against him and is a design instigated and commissioned by Obasanjo who seeks revenge against him for the comprehensive political defeat Obasanjo suffered because of Kashamu in the PDP.
He, however, said the pressure on the AGF did not work because up till date, the US authorities had not made a request for Kashamu to be extradited to the US as required by the extradition treaty the US and Nigeria as well as the Nigerian extradition law.
He said several people closed to the AGF had warned him to watch his back because there were moves to have him extradited to the US.
The letter further read: “Kashamu’s enquiry revealed that indeed there had been moves by US officials within the region to secure the assistance of the head of the INTERPOL division in Nigeria, Mr. Solomon Arase, a Deputy Inspector General (DIG), for the arrest and delivery to the US officials of Kashamu for transportation to the US without following the due process required by the Nigeria Extradition Act.
“Kashamu’s informant revealed that Arase has confirmed that one Donna Chabot approached him in January 2015. The said Chabot is an Attache Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the American Embassy route Des Almedies BP 49 Dakar Senegal and requested that INTERPOL Nigeria assist in the abduction of Kashamu for the purpose of his forcible transportation to the US to face trial before Judge Norgel.”