COURT ORDERS NIGERIAN’S EXTRADITION TO US OVER ALLEGED FRAUD
A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the extradition of Nigerian national Temitope Seyi Omotade to the United States to face trial over allegations of mail fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy and aggravated identity theft. Justice Peter Lifu delivered the ruling following an application filed by the Attorney-General of the Federation on behalf of the US government. The request seeks Omotade’s transfer to the US District Court for the District of Minnesota, where he is wanted under a five-count indictment. DETAILS OF THE ALLEGED OFFENCES The indictment was filed on February 8, 2022. It contains three counts relating to alleged mail fraud, wire fraud and conspiracy, alongside two counts involving aggravated identity theft and aiding and abetting. Under the relevant US laws, the first three counts carry maximum penalties of up to 30 years’ imprisonment each. The identity-theft offences carry maximum penalties of up to two years each, potentially running consecutively to ot...