Court dismisses AGF's extradition suit against Nigerian business man, Andrew Ibe
Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo threw out the case on Tuesday for want of diligent prosecution
A Federal High Court in Abuja has struck out a suit instituted by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria, seeking to extradite a Nigerian citizen, Andrew Chidiebere Ibe, to the United States of America (USA) to face trial over fraud charges.
Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo threw out the case on Tuesday for want of diligent prosecution, following repeated absence of the AGF or any legal practitioner from his office or private chamber to appear in court to prosecute the Extradition Suit.
The AGF, Abubakar Malami (SAN), in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/456/2022 requested the Federal High Court for an order permitting the surrendering of the Nigerian business man to America following his indictment for wire fraud.
Malami claimed that the suspect was to be put on trial by the American Government over the alleged fraud and that the extradition request to that effect had been served on the Nigerian Government under Extradition Act 2004.
The charges against the suspect carry 20 years imprisonment upon conviction in the 11 count charges.
However, since the filing of the case, the AGF office has not shown any serious commitment to it.
At Tuesday's proceedings, neither the AGF nor any legal practitioner was in court to move an ex-parte application filed alongside the suit seeking immediate arrest and detention of the suspect pending the grant of the extradition against him.
Justice Ekwo who was not pleased with the continued absence of the AGF or any lawyer to represent him struck out the suit.
The American Government through its Embassy in Nigeria had brought the Extradition request following the indictment of the business man by the USA Federal Bureau of Investigations FBI.
The request signed by Susanne Elmilady was predicated on Extractable Offences Under Article 3 (18) of the Extradition Treaty between the United States of America (USA) and Nigeria.
