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Nigeria places senator-elect under house arrest over drug deal charge

Xinhua, May 24, 2015 Adjust font size:

Nigeria's National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has placed a senator-elect Prince Buruji Kashamu under house arrest who is wanted by the United States in a heroin deal, an official said on Saturday.

Kashamu, a chieftain of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was being held by the agency's operatives in the comfort of his home, Mitchell Ofoyeju, the agency's spokesman told Xinhua in Lagos, the nation's commercial hub.

Ofoyeju added that Kashamu would however be arraigned in court by the agency on Monday, to perfect his extradition to the United States.

The agency spokesperson said the operation is in line with the legal process of extradition.

"The Agency has commenced extradition procedures against Senator-elect, Buruji Kashamu in line with the laws of country. He has been in contact with his attorneys and will appear in court on Monday," he added.

But Kashamu has accused the former deputy national chairman of the ruling party, Olabode George of being the mastermind of the alleged plan by the NDLEA to arrest and extradite him to the United States of America.

The senator-elect who is also the chairman, Organization and Mobilization Committee of the PDP in the South West alleged that George, whose wife is the director general of the NDLEA designed and executed his planned arrest "to score cheap political point."

Kashamu alleged that the storming of his private home by the NDLEA operatives confirmed the alleged plot to illegally abduct and extradite him to the USA, despite his pending suit against such an action.

The senator-elect argued that the court had already ordered parties in the matter, including the NDLEA to maintain status quo until judgment is delivered on Wednesday.

He said the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and minister of justice has denied giving the agency such an order to arrest him.

He also called on the U.S. government not to allow itself to be used to perpetrate what he described as "this kind of illegality."

Endi