Supreme Court Clears Ex-NSPM Boss For UK Extradition

The Supreme Court has affirmed 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, where he is expected to face bribery-related charges.

According to judicial proceedings, a unanimous five-member panel of the apex court dismissed Okoyomon’s appeal challenging the June 6, 2016 judgment of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, ruling that the case lacked sufficient merit to warrant interference with the earlier decisions.

The panel, headed by Justice Mohammed Garba, upheld the appeal court’s verdict in case SC/456/2016. In the lead judgment prepared by Justice Emmanuel Agim and delivered by Justice Mohammed Idris, the court concluded that the appellant failed to establish any legal basis for overturning the rulings of the lower courts. No cost was awarded against him.

The extradition request was initiated by the Attorney General of the Federation, who sought Okoyomon’s transfer to the UK over his alleged involvement in a bribery investigation linked to officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company, and Australia-based Securency International Pty.

The Federal High Court in Abuja had granted the application on May 4, 2015, prompting Okoyomon to challenge the decision at the Court of Appeal on the grounds that his right to a fair hearing had been violated.

However, the appellate court upheld the lower court’s ruling, stressing that Nigeria is bound by its obligations under the London Scheme for Extradition within the Commonwealth to surrender individuals wanted for extraditable offences by fellow Commonwealth nations. It further held that the provisions of the scheme have been substantially incorporated into Nigerian law through the Extradition Act.

Delivering the lead judgment at the appellate court, Justice Moore Adumein ruled that the Attorney General had successfully established the legal requirements for extradition, while Okoyomon failed to present convincing reasons for the application to be denied.

The court also dismissed his argument that the trial court’s consideration of his alleged British citizenship amounted to a miscarriage of justice, maintaining that the issue had no bearing on the substance of the extradition proceedings.

Still dissatisfied with the outcome, Okoyomon approached the Supreme Court, which has now brought the prolonged legal battle to a close by dismissing his appeal and clearing the way for his extradition to the United Kingdom.