Embattled Kashamu absent from Senate session on Wednesday

Buruji Kashamu

The Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District, Buruji Kashamu, who was hailed by his colleagues while taking his oaths during the inauguration of the Eighth Senate, on Tuesday, was conspicuously absent during plenary on Wednesday.

Kashamu, who was recently in the news following the attempt by the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency to arrest him over alleged drug related dealings in the United States, stole the show on the floor of the Senate when called upon to take his oath.

The Ogun State senator acknowledged cheers from his colleagues and spectators at the gallery as he walked slowly to the Clerk’s table, signed necessary documents, before he proceeded to shake hands with the senate president.

The ovation was loudest when Kashamu was returning to his seat and his colleagues stood up and took turn to shake hands with him.

The senator was however not at Wednesday’s inauguration of the pro-Ahmed Lawan’s senators conducted by the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki.

Meanwhile, the NDLEA said on Wednesday that it had not given up on ensuring Kashamu’s extradition to the US to face trial for alleged drug-related offences.

The NDLEA, Head of Public Affairs, Mr. Mitchell Ofoyeju, on Wednesday said the agency had complied with the court orders in respect of the case.

Ofoyeju, however, said the agency would explore legal means to achieve its aim.

He said, “We have obeyed court orders and he (Kashamu) had been sworn in. But the case is not over. He had gone to court to seek several orders to stop the NDLEA from proceeding with his extradition but we shall explore legal steps in the pursuit of the case to a logical end.”

The agency had been at daggers drawn with the Peoples Democratic Party chieftain over a claim by the former that it received an order from the US government, demanding that he be extradited over drug- related offences.

In what it tagged ‘house arrest’, the NDLEA had drafted scores of its operatives to Kashamu’s house in Lekki, Lagos State for six days before they were withdrawn, following court orders.

A Federal High Court in Lagos, had in separate rulings, restrained the NDLEA and any other agencies in the country from unlawfully arresting and forcefully extraditing the Ijebu-born politician to the US.