The United Kingdom has declined a request by the Federal Government of Nigeria to repatriate former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who is currently serving a prison term in the UK for organ trafficking.
Ekweremadu, 63, was sentenced in 2023 to nine years and eight months after being found guilty of conspiring to exploit a young man by arranging to harvest his kidney for a transplant intended for his daughter, Sonia.
His wife, Beatrice, and a medical doctor, Obinna Obeta, were also convicted in the case, which became the first organ-trafficking prosecution under the UK’s Modern Slavery Act.
According to a report by The Guardian, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, led a delegation to meet officials of the UK Ministry of Justice last week, seeking permission for Ekweremadu to be transferred home to complete his sentence.
However, a Ministry of Justice official, quoted in the report, said the appeal was rejected over concerns that Nigerian authorities could not guarantee that Ekweremadu would continue serving his full term if returned.
A UK government spokesperson, without commenting on Ekweremadu’s case specifically, restated that prisoner-transfer decisions are made strictly based on “the interests of justice.”
Another official emphasised Britain’s firm stance against modern slavery, saying the country “will not tolerate” such crimes and that offenders must face the full weight of UK law.
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During sentencing, Justice Jeremy Johnson condemned the actions of Ekweremadu and his co-defendants, describing the plot as part of a “despicable trade.”
The judge labelled Ekweremadu the “driving force” behind the arrangement and noted that the conviction represented a “substantial fall from grace.”
The court held that the victim, identified only as C, was taken to a private renal unit at the Royal Free Hospital in February 2022 for a planned £80,000 transplant.
He was presented falsely as Sonia’s cousin who had willingly volunteered to donate a kidney.
The hospital refused the procedure in March 2022 but did not alert the authorities.
The case only came to light after the young man fled and sought help, expressing fear that he would be taken to Nigeria for another attempt.
Dr. Obeta, who also received a transplant from an allegedly trafficked donor in 2021, is serving a 10-year jail term, two-thirds of which must be spent in custody.
Nigeria’s push for Ekweremadu’s transfer has drawn mixed reactions, with some Nigerians questioning the government’s motive.
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.
