Buruji Kashamu: Nigerian Politician Who Inspired American Drug TV Show Dies

Former Nigerian Senator, Buruji Kashamu, who inspired American drug comedy-drama series ‘Orange Is The New Black’, has died from COVID-19 complications on Saturday.

Kashamu, who served as Ogun East senator from 2015 to 2019, would be remembered for his myriad of controversies, including his arrest and indictment on drugs-related charges in the United Kingdom in 1998.

The 62-year-old was arrested while trying to enter the UK with $230,000 in cash.

A British court refused a request by the United States Government to extradite Kashamu to the country in 2003, citing uncertainty about his identity. He was subsequently acquitted of the charges and released.

One of those jailed in connection to the case, Piper Kerman, had written a memoir which later inspired the popular TV series ‘Orange Is the New Black’, otherwise known as ‘OITNB’.

Kerman, an American, was indicted on charges of money laundering and drug trafficking and sentenced to 15 months in jail.

‘Orange Is the New Black’ was adapted from her book, in which she narrated events leading to her conviction and her time in prison.

In the book, Kerman referenced a west African drug kingpin whom she called ‘Alhaji’. Many believe Kashamu was the true identity of the heroin kingpin the writer referred to as ‘Alhaji’.

– Mistaken Identity –

In 2014, Kashamu had claimed that a warrant of arrest issued against him in the U.S over two decades ago was a case of mistaken identity.

He had claimed in a statement by his media aide, Austin Oniyokor, that the arrest warrant, “collapsed once the British court held that it was a case of mistaken identity,” adding that the case against him was, “statute barred, according to the U.S. laws, by reason of the fact that it failed to bring any fresh action against Prince Kashamu within two and a half years after his release by the British court. Persuaded that he is innocent of charges against him and based on his acquittal and eventual release by the British courts – the third time in a row – Prince Kashamu instructed his lawyers in the U.S. to file an action in the U.S. court seeking to quash the charges against him. Of course, this is inclusive of the initial warrant of arrest that was used to arrest him in London. He took this step to clear his name, once and for all.”