Contrary to claims by former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro that he cannot be extradite back to Nigeria from the United States, where he is currently residing, a top US official has said this is not true.
According Peter Carr, an official at the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), the US government is duty bound to extradite the former Minister based on a treaty signed between the United States and Nigeria.
Carr, in an email response, noted that Obanikoro, who is currently in the cross hairs of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) could be successfully extradited “within [existing] statutory and treaty framework, US practice is, generally, to extradite its citizens, assuming that the requirements of the treaty are met.
“The fact of dual nationality with Nigeria would be irrelevant in this context.”
According to online news medium, Sahara Reporters, Obanikoro, who served under the government of former president Goodluck Jonathan, has recently dared Muhammadu Buhari to extradite him to Nigeria to stand trial for fraud charges filed against him.
