UK Rejects Nigeria’s Request to Transfer Ike Ekweremadu
The British Government has reportedly declined Nigeria’s request to have former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, deported to serve the remainder of his prison term in Nigeria. Ekweremadu, aged 63, is currently serving a nine years and eight months sentence in the United Kingdom after being convicted of organ trafficking under the UK’s Modern Slavery Act—the first conviction of its kind.
Ekweremadu, his wife Beatrice, and medical doctor Obinna Obeta were found guilty in 2023 of conspiring to exploit a young Nigerian man by procuring his kidney for a transplant intended for their daughter, Sonia, at a private London hospital.
According to The Guardian UK, Nigeria’s delegation led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, met with officials of the UK Ministry of Justice last week to request Ekweremadu’s transfer. However, the request was rejected on grounds that Nigeria could not guarantee he would continue serving his sentence upon return.
A UK Ministry of Justice source emphasized that prisoner transfers are discretionary and subject to “careful assessment of whether it would be in the interests of justice.” Another official reiterated the UK’s zero-tolerance stance on modern slavery, stressing that offenders will face the full force of UK law.
During sentencing, Justice Jeremy Johnson described the defendants’ actions as part of a “despicable trade,” noting that organ harvesting is a form of slavery that commodifies human beings. He identified Ekweremadu as the “driving force” behind the plot, calling the case a “substantial fall from grace.”
Beatrice Ekweremadu, who was sentenced to four years and six months, has since completed half of her term and returned to Nigeria. Obinna Obeta is serving a 10-year sentence, with two-thirds to be spent in custody.
In February 2022, the victim (identified as C) was taken to the Royal Free Hospital in London for a proposed £80,000 transplant. He was falsely presented as Sonia’s cousin and a willing donor. The hospital rejected the procedure in March 2022 despite attempts to bribe a medical secretary. The case came to light when the victim fled and sought help, fearing he would be trafficked to Nigeria for another attempt. Obeta had himself received a kidney transplant at the same hospital in 2021, allegedly from another trafficked donor.
Nigeria’s attempt to secure Ekweremadu’s return has sparked criticism among Nigerians, with concerns about the country’s ability to enforce custodial sentences for high-profile convicts. The matter raises broader questions about Nigeria’s international reputation in criminal justice enforcement and its obligations under global anti-slavery frameworks.
At the time of reporting, Nigeria’s High Commission in London had yet to issue an official statement, and Lawyard Online noted it could not independently confirm The Guardian’s account.
