President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has dispatched a high-level delegation to the United Kingdom to negotiate the transfer of former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, back to Nigeria to serve the remainder of his prison sentence.
The delegation, led by Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar and Attorney General of the Federation Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), met with officials of the UK Ministry of Justice in London to discuss a possible prisoner transfer arrangement.
According to reports, the discussions centered on allowing Ekweremadu to complete his sentence in Nigeria under an existing bilateral prisoner exchange agreement between both nations.
Ekweremadu was convicted in May 2023 for conspiring to traffic a 21-year-old Lagos street vendor to the UK for a kidney transplant intended for his daughter, Sonia Ekweremadu. He was sentenced to nine years and eight months in prison under the UK Modern Slavery Act.
His wife, Beatrice Ekweremadu, was also sentenced to four years and six months, but was released early in 2025, while their associate, Dr. Obinna Obeta, received a ten-year sentence.
The high-profile case was the first of its kind involving a Nigerian politician and generated significant diplomatic tension between Nigeria and the UK.
Although the family maintained that Ekweremadu acted out of desperation to save his daughter’s life, the UK court ruled that the alleged donor’s consent was obtained under false pretenses.
Confirming the ongoing discussions, Alkasim Abdulkadir, spokesperson for the Foreign Affairs Minister, said the appeal for prisoner exchange had been formally submitted.
“An appeal for prisoner exchange for him to serve the remainder of his term in Nigeria has been tabled before the United Kingdom authorities,” Abdulkadir stated.
Following the meeting, the Nigerian delegation was received by Acting High Commissioner, Ambassador Mohammed Maidugu, at the Nigerian High Commission in London.
Diplomatic sources revealed that the negotiations form part of Nigeria’s broader efforts to activate bilateral prisoner transfer agreements with foreign governments.
