A Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday ordered the
extradition of a former Managing Director of Nigerian Security, Minting and
Printing Company, Mr. Ehidiamhem Okoyomon, to the United Kingdom to face
criminal charges.
Justice Evoh Chukwu ordered that Okoyomon be extradited to
the UK within 30 days. He ordered the former NSMPC boss be remanded in prison
pending the time the extradition processes would be completed.
The court was delivering judgment on the extradition
application filed on September 29, 2014 by the Attorney-General of the
Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke (SAN).
The court had earlier on Monday struck out a separate suit
filed by Okoyomon challenging his arrest and detention by the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission based on the request by the British High Commission
in Nigeria for his extradition.
The court held in its judgment in Okoyomon’s suit that the
Attorney-General of the Federation having filed the application for his
extradition, his suit had become academic.
The court also dismissed his preliminary objection to the
AGF’s extradition application. It held
that Akoyomon, through his counsel, Dr. Alex Izinyon (SAN), “has no defence for
this application and did not make any attempt to counter it.”
It also held that the AGF had satisfied all the requirements
under the Extradition Act Cap E25 of the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria,
2004 for the extradition of the man who was said to have been indicted for
criminal offences in the UK.
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