Beatrice: Wife of Ekweremadu Finally Returns to Nigeria After Release from UK Prison
- Beatrice Ekweremadu, wife of former Nigerian Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, returned to Nigeria after serving part of her prison term in the United Kingdom
- Her release followed a high-profile conviction in London over an organ-harvesting conspiracy involving a young Lagos trader
- While her arrival sparked celebrations in Enugu State, her husband remains behind bars in the UK, serving a longer sentence
Beatrice Ekweremadu, wife of former Nigerian Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, returned to Nigeria on Tuesday, January 21, 2026, after completing the custodial portion of her sentence in the United Kingdom.
She was received by family members and close associates at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, marking her first time back in Nigeria since the legal saga began in mid-2022.
Source: Twitter
Organ-harvesting conviction in London
Her return followed her May 2023 conviction at the Old Bailey in London. She was sentenced to four years and six months in prison for conspiring to facilitate the travel of a 21-year-old Lagos Street trader to the UK for the purpose of harvesting his kidney. The organ was intended for the couple’s daughter, Sonia, who suffered from a chronic kidney condition.
The case was prosecuted under the UK’s Modern Slavery Act 2015 and was the first time the legislation had been used in a human organ-harvesting prosecution.
Under UK law, non-violent offenders are typically eligible for release on licence after serving half of their custodial term. Reports indicated that Mrs Ekweremadu’s release was further facilitated by her good conduct record and by a broader UK government initiative to address severe prison overcrowding.
Ike Ekweremadu remains in UK custody
Despite his wife’s return, Senator Ike Ekweremadu remains in a UK correctional facility. In May 2023, he was handed a nine-year and eight-month sentence, with the court ruling that he was the primary driver of the conspiracy.
Efforts by the Nigerian federal government to secure his release or repatriation have so far been unsuccessful. In late 2025, a high-powered diplomatic delegation visited London to explore a Prisoner Transfer Agreement (PTA) that would allow the Senator to serve the remainder of his term in Nigeria.
However, the UK Home Office reportedly rejected the proposal in November 2025, citing concerns over the guarantee of the sentence’s continued enforcement if transferred to Nigerian jurisdiction.
Other convicts and family situation
The third convict in the case, Dr Obinna Obeta, described by the prosecution as the medical “middleman,” continues to serve a 10-year prison sentence in the UK.
Meanwhile, Sonia Ekweremadu, who was cleared of all criminal charges during the 2023 trial, remains in the United Kingdom, where she is reportedly receiving ongoing medical treatment for her condition.
Mrs Ekweremadu’s return sparked celebrations in her hometown of Mpu, in the Aninri Local Government Area of Enugu State. Her arrival was seen as a moment of relief for her family and community, even as her husband continues to serve his sentence abroad.
Source: Twitter
Ekweremadu: South-east leaders split over planned transfer
Legit.ng earlier reported that leaders of major south-eastern groups voiced sharply divided opinions over the federal government’s move to transfer former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, from a United Kingdom correctional facility to a Nigerian custodial centre.
Ekweremadu was convicted in the UK for organ traffi cking. He and his wife, Beatrice, were arrested by the London Metropolitan Police in June 2022 after a man was presented as a cousin to their daughter, Sonia, in an attempt to facilitate a kidney transplant.
Source: Legit.ng
