BURUJI'S ARREST FOLLOWS FORMAL REQUEST BY USA - NDLEA

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Ahmadu Giade, yesterday said Ogun State Senator-elect, Buruji Kashamu, was arrested after a formal request for extradition which the agency received from the US Embassy.

A statement from the Agency’s Head of Public Affairs, Mitchel Ofoyeju, said Kashamu had been a target of both the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for over 20 years, adding that the senator-elect was indicted in the Northern District of Illinois, United States, on drug charges brought against him by ICE.
“Kashamu, who US court documents alleged was known in his days as the leader of a prolific heroin trafficking ring based in Chicago, Illinois as “God,” “Daddy,” and “Kasmal,” 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 Nigeria/Republic of Benin citizenship, has taken multiple pre-emptive actions to thwart US extradition efforts such as making fanciful claims that his was a case of mistaken identity, and that his deceased brother was responsible for the crimes he is being sought in the United States”, the statement said.
Officials of the NDLEA on Saturday, stormed the Lekki residence of Kashamu and detained him there pending his arraignment before a Federal High Court on today on the propriety of his extradition to the United States where he is expected to be tried for drug trafficking related offences.