The United Kingdom has reportedly rejected President Tinubu’s request to transfer former Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, convicted of organ trafficking, to serve the remainder of his prison sentence in Nigeria.
According to The Guardian, citing an unnamed Ministry of Justice official, the UK government declined the request due to concerns that Nigeria could not guarantee Ekweremadu would continue serving his sentence if deported.
“A source at the MoJ has confirmed the request was rejected. It is understood the UK government was concerned that Nigeria could offer no guarantees that Ekweremadu would continue his prison sentence after being deported,” the newspaper reported.
“Any prisoner transfer is at our discretion following a careful assessment of whether it would be in the interests of justice,” the official added. “The UK will not tolerate modern slavery and any offender will face the full force of UK law.”
President Bola Tinubu had earlier sent a high-level delegation to the UK, including Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar and Attorney General Lateef Fagbemi, to negotiate Ekweremadu’s transfer to Nigeria under a bilateral prisoner transfer agreement.
The delegation met with officials from the UK Ministry of Justice in London and later with the Nigerian High Commission, as part of efforts to activate existing agreements.
Ekweremadu was convicted in May 2023 for conspiring to traffic a 21-year-old Lagos street vendor to Britain for a kidney transplant for his daughter, Sonia.
He was sentenced to nine years and eight months in prison under the UK Modern Slavery Act.
His wife, Beatrice, was jailed for four years and six months but released early in 2025, while their associate, Dr. Obinna Obeta, received ten years.
The case, the first of its kind involving a Nigerian politician, sparked diplomatic tension between Nigeria and the UK.
Ekweremadu’s family maintains he acted out of desperation to save his daughter, but the UK court ruled the victim’s consent was manipulated.
With the UK rejecting the transfer, Ekweremadu is expected to continue serving his sentence in the United Kingdom, pending any further legal developments.
Former senator Shehu Sani reacted to the news via a post on his X account, urging for the UK to reconsider.
He wrote:
“UK should accede to the request of the FG and allow Senator Ekweremadu to return home and complete his term.The historical and diplomatic ties between the two countries should be considered. One day Uk may request such favours from Nigeria.”
