Justice E.S Chukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja has adjourned to December 1, 2014 for ruling on the extradition proceeding instituted against Ehidiamhen Okoyomon, former managing director and chief executive officer, Nigeria Security Minting and Printing Company, NSPMC, by the office of Attorney General of the Federation.
At today’s sitting, counsel to the Okoyomon, Alex Iziyon, SAN, told the court that he had filed a motion challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the application to extradite the respondent and that he had also filled a written address and a 19-paragraph affidavit in support of the motion.
He further told the court that the 1931 treaty which the prosecution counsel is relying upon has been repealed by Decree No 87 of 1966. He argued that the 1931 treaty between UK and Nigeria was just an agreement, not a law. “I submit that, even if you want to consider that, it was between UK and United States and it governs the protectorate that was under UK then. We have since left in 1960”.
Prosecuting counsel, M. S Hassan in response, told the court that he had filed a counter affidavit to the preliminary objection and a written address dated October 17, 2014. He argued that the 1931 treaty became applicable to Nigeria in 1935 and that it was never repealed by any enactment. He further told the court that “schedule 2 under extradition law provides that the law shall apply to all Commonwealth nations”.
He urged the court to uphold his argument and grant his application.
On the extradition request, Hassan told the court that pages C 1-3 was the extradition request from UK government for the respondent while pages 7-11 of exhibit (a) is the charge against him and the warrant of arrest issued by the District Judge. He urged the court to grant his plea based on the extradition treaty of 1931 between Nigeria and UK which is applicable in Nigeria.
The UK government is asking for the extradition of Okoyomon to answer questions over his alleged role in the bribery allegation involving officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria, the NSMPC and the Securency International Pty of Australia between 2006 and 2008.
