The United Kingdom has refused a request from the Nigerian government to allow former Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu to return home to complete his prison sentence, keeping the embattled politician in a UK facility where he is serving time for organ-trafficking offences.
Ekweremadu was convicted in 2023 for plotting to harvest the kidney of a young man, a landmark case that drew global attention and resulted in a sentence of nine years and eight months.
The conviction marked the first time a sitting or former Nigerian lawmaker was found guilty of organ trafficking by a UK court.
In recent weeks, Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Yusuf Tuggar, led a delegation to the UK Ministry of Justice (MoJ), where they requested that Ekweremadu be transferred to Nigeria through a deportation arrangement that would allow him to serve the remainder of his term locally.
However, according to reports by The Guardian UK, the request was declined. A source within the MoJ stated that the UK government has concerns about Nigeria’s ability to guarantee that Ekweremadu would continue serving his sentence if transferred.
The source reportedly noted: “The UK will not tolerate modern slavery and any offender will face the full force of UK law.”
With the request denied, Ekweremadu will remain in a British prison until he completes his sentence.
His wife, Beatrice Ekweremadu, who was sentenced to four years and six months—with half to be served in custody—was released earlier this year and has since returned to Nigeria.
