The Supreme Court has upheld the Okoyomon Extradition Case, approving the transfer of former Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPM), Emmanuel Okoyomon, to the United Kingdom to face trial over alleged bribery-related offences. The apex court dismissed his appeal and affirmed earlier rulings that granted the Federal Government permission to extradite him.
The case originated from an application filed by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), seeking Okoyomon’s extradition to the United Kingdom. British authorities are investigating allegations of bribery involving officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the NSPM, and Securency International Pty of Australia.
A Federal High Court in Abuja granted the extradition request on May 4, 2015. Dissatisfied with the ruling, Okoyomon challenged the decision at the Court of Appeal, arguing that his right to a fair hearing had been breached. On June 6, 2016, the Court of Appeal upheld the Federal High Court’s decision, paving the way for the extradition process. The former NSPM chief subsequently approached the Supreme Court to overturn the judgment.
In a unanimous decision delivered on Friday, a five-member panel of the Supreme Court dismissed appeal SC/456/2016, describing it as lacking merit.
The panel, led by Justice Mohammed Garba, upheld the concurrent decisions of both the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal. The lead judgment was prepared by Justice Emmanuel Agim and read by Justice Mohammed Idris. According to the apex court, the appellant failed to present sufficient grounds for the court to interfere with the findings reached by the lower courts in the Okoyomon Extradition Case.
The Court of Appeal had earlier ruled that Nigeria was obligated under the London Scheme for Extradition within the Commonwealth to extradite individuals sought for extradition offences by fellow Commonwealth countries. Justice Moore Adumein, who delivered the lead appellate judgment, held that the provisions of the London Scheme had been substantially incorporated into Nigerian law through Sections 1 and 2 of the Extradition Act 2004.
The appellate court further ruled that the Attorney General of the Federation had established a valid case for extradition, while Okoyomon failed to provide sufficient legal grounds to prevent the application from being granted. The court also rejected arguments relating to whether the appellant was a British citizen, holding that the issue did not affect the substance of the extradition request or occasion any miscarriage of justice.
The ruling reinforces Nigeria’s commitment to international legal cooperation and its obligations under Commonwealth extradition arrangements. The decision in the Okoyomon Extradition Case also highlights the role of Nigerian courts in enforcing treaties and domestic laws governing cross-border criminal investigations. Legal observers note that the judgment may serve as a reference point for future extradition proceedings involving individuals sought by foreign jurisdictions under existing bilateral and multilateral agreements.
