A Federal High Court in Abuja has approved the extradition of Nigerian national Temitope Seyi Omotade to the United States, where he is wanted to face fraud and identity-theft charges.
Justice Peter Lifu granted an application by the Attorney-General of the Federation, ruling that the Nigerian government had met the legal requirements for Omotade’s surrender. He faces a five-count indictment in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, including charges of mail fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy and aggravated identity theft.
If convicted, Omotade could face up to 30 years in prison on each of the first three counts, plus an additional two years on each identity-theft count.
Omotade opposed extradition, denying the allegations and arguing that evidence submitted by U.S. authorities did not link him to criminal activity. He also challenged the reliability of the supporting documents and suggested that third parties may have misused his identity.
His lawyer told the court that Omotade was receiving specialist treatment for fatty liver disease and elevated liver enzymes, and argued that extradition could worsen his condition. Justice Lifu found that the medical evidence did not show that transfer to the United States would expose Omotade to serious and unavoidable health risks. He also noted that adequate medical facilities were available there.
The judge emphasized that extradition proceedings do not determine a suspect’s guilt or innocence; they establish whether the legal requirements for surrender have been met. He found no evidence that the request was politically motivated or intended to persecute Omotade because of his race, religion, nationality or political beliefs.
The court therefore ordered Omotade’s extradition to the United States to face the charges and dismissed his bail application, filed on September 16. He will have the opportunity to contest the allegations before the U.S. court.
