Northern Youths Challenge Buhari On Buruji Kashamu’s Extradition To USA
President Mohammadu Buhari has been challenged by youths in the northern part of Nigeria to either expedite the extradition of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP senator from Ogun State, Prince Buruji Kashamu to the United States of America to face trial for drug trafficking or forget about his anti-corruption fight.
The youths, Northern Youths Movement (NYM) said in a release signed by its Chairman, Mallam Ishaya Jato on Thursday that President Buhari cannot claim to be fighting corruption, while at the same time protecting a fugitive like Senator Buruji Kashamu because of politics.
The NYM said if at the twilight of the government of former President Goodluck Jonathan, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) commenced the process of extraditing Senator Kashamu to the USA and the US Department of Justice said it was "fully ready to assist" Nigeria with proper documentation on his (Kashamu) extradition and express trial before a US District Judge in Chicago, Judge Charles Richard Norgle, President Buhari has no excuse for keeping Kashamu in Nigeria till this moment.
The youths pointed out that the NDLEA had said in May 2016, through its Head of Public Affairs, Mr. Ofoyeju Mitchell, that the agency's men invaded Kashamu's residence in Lekki, Lagos State in response to the extradition request formally made to the Nigerian government by its American counterpart.
They accused the Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai and Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, as the brains behind President Buhari’s refusal to accede to the extradition of Senator Kashamu.
The youths said the duo of El-Rufai and Amaechi were using Kashamu to destroy the PDP in furtherance of their 2019 Presidential and Vice Presidential ambition.
The NYM reiterated its position that said Buruji Kashamu was afraid of being extradited to the USA to face trial for alleged drug trafficking and he is ready to do anything to kill the PDP for El-Rufai and Amaechi.
The group, which called for immediate extradition of Senator Kashamu to the USA, said President Buhari must not allow anyone to cast aspersion on his anti-corruption fight by hobnobbing with a fugitive just because of presidential ambition.