Kashamu absent from Senate session on Wednesday

Firstclass newsline learnt that 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before they were withdrawn, following court orders.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.
Firstclassnewsline.net