UK-Nigeria Deal Sparks Fresh Talks on Ekweremadu’s Repatriation
UK-Nigeria Deal Sparks Fr X All People Groups Events Pages A recent migration agreement between the UK and Nigeria has revived hopes of repatriating former Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, who is serving a nearly 10-year prison sentence in Britain for organ trafficking. Ekweremadu was convicted in March 2023 for plotting to bring a 21-year-old Lagos street vendor to the UK for a kidney transplant for his daughter '. The new deal, signed during President Bola Tinubu's state visit to the UK, allows for the return of convicted offenders, failed asylum seekers, and visa overstayers.
Over 2,000 Nigerians, including Ekweremadu, may be affected by the agreement. While the Federal Government had previously sought Ekweremadu's transfer to Nigeria, the request was declined due to concerns about ensuring the continuation of his sentence , Senior government officials say it's possible Ekweremadu could benefit from the agreement, but no concrete plans have been made. Senior lawyer Bankole Akomolafe notes that any transfer would require adherence to legal procedures and mutual agreement between both countries. Ekweremadu's case has sparked mixed reactions from South-East leaders, with some viewing the potential transfer as a humanitarian gesture and others seeing it as politically motivated
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