BREAKING: Supreme Court Clears Path For Former NSPM Boss’ Extradition To UK

The Supreme Court has upheld the extradition of former Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPM), Emmanuel Okoyomon, to the United Kingdom over alleged bribery offences.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

In a unanimous judgment delivered on Friday, a five-member panel of the apex court dismissed Okoyomon’s appeal challenging the June 6, 2016 ruling of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which affirmed an earlier extradition order.

The panel, presided over by Justice Mohammed Garba, held that the appeal, marked SC/456/2016, was without merit. In the lead judgment prepared by Justice Emmanuel Agim and read by Justice Mohammed Idris, the court ruled that Okoyomon failed to provide sufficient grounds for the Supreme Court to overturn the decisions of the lower courts.

While dismissing the appeal, the court declined to award costs against the former NSPM chief.

The Attorney General of the Federation had sought Okoyomon’s extradition to the UK to stand trial over his alleged involvement in a bribery scandal linked to officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the NSPM, and Australia-based Securency International Pty Ltd.

A Federal High Court in Abuja had granted the extradition request on May 4, 2015. Okoyomon subsequently appealed the decision, arguing that his right to a fair hearing had been violated.

However, the Court of Appeal upheld the lower court’s ruling, stating that Nigeria was obligated under the London Scheme for Extradition within the Commonwealth to surrender individuals wanted for extraditable offences by fellow Commonwealth nations.

The appellate court further held that the provisions of the London Scheme had been substantially incorporated into Nigerian law through the Extradition Act. Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Moore Adumein found that the Attorney General had established a valid case for extradition, while Okoyomon failed to present convincing reasons for the application to be denied.

The court also dismissed Okoyomon’s claim that the trial court’s consideration of his British citizenship status resulted in a miscarriage of justice, ruling that the issue had no bearing on the substance of the extradition proceedings.

Unhappy with the appellate court’s verdict, Okoyomon took the matter to the Supreme Court, which has now affirmed the extradition order and dismissed his appeal.