26th May, 2015
Akin Kuponiyi
Reprieve came the way of the Ogun East senator-elect Buruji Kasamu today as a Federal high court sitting in Lagos, south west Nigeria, ordered that all NDLEA operatives who have been laying siege to his house since last week Saturday should vacate the place.
The presiding judge, Ibrahim Buba made the order after listening to the submission of Kashamu’s counsel Mr Alex Iziyon leading two other senior counsel.
Buba made the order after listening to the submission of Kashamu’s counsel Mr Alex Iziyon leading two other senior counsel.
Mr Iziyon in his submission told the court that he was not against an adjournment as requested by the AGF’s counsel Mrs Anne Akwiwu who was in court to represent the Attorney General of the Federation. She told the court that she came to show the respect the AGF has for the court since his office has not been served with any court process.
Iziyon then requested the court to make the following orders:
* ordering all the NDLEA operatives numbering at least 50 who have been laying siege to Kashamu’s house to vacate the place.
*ordering other security agencies especially Nigerian Police, State Security Services and other law enforcement agencies to obey the order as there is no application anywhere for his extradition.
He stated further that any application for such order should be brought before the court.
In addition he asked the court to order Kashamu to appear before it during the next hearing of the case while they undertook to publish the order of the court in one daily national newspaper
Mrs Akwiwu objected on the ground that they don’t have any copy of the proceedings, therefore, the order being sought should wait till the time their papers are filed.
In his short ruling, the presiding Judge Ibrahim Buba said: “This is a unique case as the applicants have been in and out of court and in one of such cases judgement is fixed for tomorrow and in the instant case there is a pending order that all the parties involved in the matter should maintain status quo pending the determination of the substantive suit and AGF and NDLEA are respondents in this suit the said order is being disobeyed.
“The contempt proceedings was filed yesterday against AGF and NDLEA but for reason best known to him, Justice Okon Abang declined to hear it hence the matter was assigned to him but he ordered that the alleged contemnor should be put on notice.
“While AGF and NDLEA were ordered to appear today, AGF was part of this proceedings but NDLEA was not allowed to be served by the court bailiff.
“In the interest of justice for the main case to be heard on merit justice of this case demands that all orders made by court of competent jurisdiction must be obeyed until it is set aside. Once more order to stay all actions pending the determination of the substantive suit is hereby made.
“All the NDLEA operatives, agents and principals that have been laying siege to the applicant’s house should vacate the place. There should be no room for self help.
“All parties in this matter are to appear before the court on 4th of June, 2015 to hear the contempt proceedings case on merit.”