The Federal Government (FG) is currently negotiating with the United Kingdom 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 core of the discussion, confirmed by Alkasim AbdulKadir, the spokesman for the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, is an “appeal for Prisoner exchange” that would enable Ekweremadu to serve the balance of his term in Nigeria.
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AbdulKadir stated that “consultations are still ongoing with UK authorities on the matter.”
Ekweremadu was convicted in the UK in May 2023 under the UK Modern Slavery Act for his role in an organ trafficking scheme.
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 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.
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Following their meetings at the UK Ministry of Justice, the envoys were hosted by the Acting High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Ambassador Mohammed Maidugu, at the Nigerian High Commission in London.
