Both the Senate and House of Representatives have rallied round in support of former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who is also a serving Senator. Senator Ekweremadu and his wife Beatrice were arrested and remanded by the London Metropolitan Police on 23rd June 2022. They were charged with offences bordering on trafficking a minor for the purpose of organ harvesting, contrary to the UK’s Modern Slavery Act. The couple first appeared before the UK Magistrate court in Uxbridge on Thursday, 30th June, and are currently being held without bail. The case comes up next on 7th July 2022.
Following deliberations of the Senate on the trial of Senator Ike Ekweremadu at a closed-door on Wednesday, 29th June 2022, it was resolved that a delegation from the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Senate led by Senator Adamu Bulkachuwa (APC; Bauchi) will be in the UK, to see the couple. The delegation was also directed to engage with the British High Commission to receive more details on the case. In addition, President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan urged Federal government institutions to do what they can to ensure that justice prevails. Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila had also issued a statement, expressing solidarity with Senator Ike Ekweremadu and called on the Nigerian High Commission in London and the Federal Government to offer every support to Senator Ekweremadu.
Facts unravelling since the matter began show that the Ekweremadus were making efforts to provide medical assistance to their daughter who needs kidney transplant, and had procured a willing donor from Nigeria to go to the UK for the medical procedure. Facts emanating from the process of transporting the said donor to the UK show that Ekweremadu had written in support of the said donor’s visa application, with reports clearly showing that the donor is not a minor as his passport indicates that he is at least 21 years old. The case has attracted a lot of interest and media publicity in Nigeria.
Senator Ekweremadu is a long standing legislator and has played key roles in the process of Constitution amendment as Chairman of the Senate ad-hoc Committee on Constitution Review for unprecedented three terms of 12 years. His leadership of the National Assembly Constitution amendment efforts produced significant results.