By Ayodele Oni
A high-level Nigerian Government delegation is in the United Kingdom, (UK), to engage officials of the UK Ministry of Justice as regards the case of the former Deputy President of the Senate, Dr. Ike Ekweremadu, who has been in custody in the UK since March 2023.
The delegation, led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, includes the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN.
Report revealed that the delegation has began consultations with UK authorities to secure former Deputy Senate President transfer to Nigeria to serve his remaining jail term.
On arrival in the UK, the delegation met with UK Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Justice, and they’re expected to hold other meetings with key officials regarding the matter.
Confirming the move by the Nigerian government, the spokesman of Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar, Alkasim AbdulKadir told Arise Correspondent that: “Consultations still ongoing with UK authorities on the matter.
“An appeal for Prisoner exchange for him to serve the remainder of his term in Nigeria was tabled before the United Kingdom authorities.”
Ekweremadu, his wife, Beatrice, and a UK-based medical doctor, Obinna Obeta, were arrested in June 2022 at Heathrow Airport, London, over allegations of conspiring to traffic a young Nigerian man to the UK for the purpose of organ harvesting for their ailing daughter.
In March 2023, a UK court found the trio guilty under the Modern Slavery Act 2015, marking the first conviction of its kind for organ trafficking.
Justice Jeremy Johnson described the offence as one that exploited the vulnerability of the victim.
Ekweremadu was sentenced to nine years and eight months in prison; his wife, Beatrice, to four years and six months; and Dr. Obeta to ten years. Mrs. Ekweremadu has since completed her sentence and been released.
President Tinubu’s decision to send a delegation reflects Nigeria’s continued diplomatic engagement with the UK government to explore available legal and humanitarian options within the framework of international law and the longstanding bilateral relationship between both countries.
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