The United Kingdom (UK) Government has rejected the request of the Nigeria Federal Government to transfer former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, to serve the remainder of his prison term in Nigeria.
Presently, Ekweremadu, who was convicted in 2023 and sentenced to nine years and eight months for conspiring to exploit a young man’s kidney, is serving a prison sentence in the UK for organ trafficking.
The plot involved bringing a 21-year-old street vendor from Lagos to Britain with the intention of procuring a kidney for his daughter, Sonia.
He was handed a sentence of nine years and eight months.
The sentencing of his wife, Beatrice, who received four years and six months but was released early in 2025, and medical intermediary Dr Obinna Obeta, who was jailed for ten years, underscored the severity of the crime.
The FG had negotiated with the United Kingdom early this month to facilitate the transfer of former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, allowing him to complete his prison sentence in a Nigerian correctional facility.
The diplomatic push was initiated by President Bola Tinubu, who dispatched a high-level delegation to meet with officials from the UK Ministry of Justice to formally discuss the convicted senator’s case.
The controversial case not only prompted diplomatic exchanges between the two nations but also exposed major gaps in transplant regulation and triggered new investigations in the UK.
While the Ekweremadu family cited their daughter’s critical kidney condition as the impetus for the desperate action, the courts ultimately ruled that essential ethical considerations, specifically informed consent and exploring alternatives, were disregarded.
The Nigerian delegation responsible for the negotiations reportedly included the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, and the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi.
