Buhari signs bill on extradition, 4 others

Pr e s i d e n t Muhammadu Buhari has assented to five bills including the Extradition Treaty Amendment Act 2018 which prevents double jeopardy for extradited persons in the country.

The assent came 24 hours after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) announced that it has begun the process for the extradition of Diezani Alison-Madueke, Nigeria’s former Minister of Petroleum, from the United Kingdom.

The President also assented to the Federal Capital Territory Appropriation Act, 2018. The Act allows aggregate capital and recurrent Expenditure of N37.5bn up to the financial year ending December 31, 2018.

The three other bills assented to by the President are the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Establishment) Act, 2018, National Environmental Standard and Regulations Enforcement Agency (Establishment) (Amendment) Act, 2018 and the Nigerian Institute Of Mining And Geosciences, Jos (Establishment) Act, 2018.

Presidential aide on National Assembly (Senate), Senator Ita Enang told the State House correspondents that the new extradition law mean any person who is extradited from one country to another or from Nigeria to another country does not face trial for any offence for which the person was convicted or acquitted from the country requesting extradition.

He said the new law which was an amendment to the 2004 Act has vested jurisdiction on extradition proceedings now on the Federal High Court as against Magistrates Court.

He said the amendment further introduces a new section 15(2) preventing double jeopardy as protected by Section 36(9) of the Constitution.

Asked whether the new law has a link with AlisonMadueke’s case, he said: “it is not an act made in personam. It is the question of international treaty and protocol.”