EXTRADITION: FG FILES OBJECTION AGAINST AMERICAN'S SUIT

The Federal Government has filed a preliminary objection against a suit by a former Chief Executive of Wilbros International Incorporated, Mr. James Tillery, before a Federal High Court in Abuja.

The American had, through his lawyer, Mr. Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), urged the court to restrain the Federal Government from extraditing him to the United States.

But the AGF had in a counter-affidavit against the originating summons by his lawyer, Mr. Wahab Shittu, urged the court to dismiss the suit.

In the objection made available to our correspondent in Abuja on Tuesday, the AGF said, 'The applicant's Nigerian citizenship claim is to enable him to take permanent refuge in Nigeria and hide his identity as he had been hiding his person with different looks.

'This application is one of such instances where an applicant attempts to use flimsy technicalities and baseless allegations to frustrate justice and the decency of Nigeria within the international community.

'We look up to this honourable court to do justice by dismissing this frivolous application with costs.

'The offences of which he is being accused are serious offences that carry 20 years imprisonment and the applicant knowing that his alleged fellow collaborator, Paul Novak, is already serving his jail term of 25 years imprisonment, ran to Nigeria to evade prosecution by applying for Nigerian citizenship.'