Ekweremadu: South-East Leaders Split over Planned Transfer to Nigerian Prison
- South-East leaders voiced mixed reactions to the federal government’s plan to transfer Senator Ike Ekweremadu from a UK prison to Nigeria
- While some warned the move could be politically motivated ahead of the 2027 elections, others praised it as a humanitarian gesture
- The debate reflected deep divisions among Igbo groups over justice, politics, and the future of the embattled lawmaker
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 trafficking. 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: Twitter
The case led to their conviction under the UK Modern Slavery Act in 2023.
The senator was sentenced to nine years and eight months in prison, while his wife received four years and six months. Beatrice was released earlier this year and has since returned to Nigeria.
Tinubu’s delegation to London
President Bola Tinubu sent a high-level delegation to London to discuss Ekweremadu’s case. PUNCH Online reported that the federal government was seeking arrangements that would allow him to serve the remainder of his sentence in Nigeria.
The delegation, led by the minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, and the attorney general of the federation and minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, met with officials of the UK Ministry of Justice. They later visited the Nigerian High Commission in London, where acting high commissioner, Ambassador Mohammed Maidugu, received them.
Igbo National Council questions motive
President of the Igbo National Council, Chilos Godsent, questioned the timing and motive of the government’s request. He warned against “political manipulation” or “vendetta” disguised as compassion.
He said:
“There is one thing that is really not clear: are they bringing him back to Nigeria to set him free or bringing him back to put him on trial, or to let him continue his jail term? These things are not really clear.”
Godsent accused former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration of negligence, arguing that it failed to protect Ekweremadu during his legal ordeal. He cautioned that any attempt to use the senator’s return for political ends would be condemned.
Ala-Igbo development foundation raises concerns
Professor Awuzie Unachukwu, president of the Ala-Igbo Development Foundation, also questioned the government’s motive. He compared the case to that of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who remained in detention despite calls for his release.
He said:
“If it is appreciated that Senator Ekweremadu should come back having paid his dues for his offence, why does this same government shy away from releasing Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who was only asking for self-determination for the Igbos?”
Unachukwu commended Tinubu for initiating steps toward repatriation but insisted that Ekweremadu should not be brought back to serve a jail term in Nigeria.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo supports transfer
Deputy president general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, dismissed claims of political motives. He said:
“Ohanaeze is supporting the President and we are at the forefront to ensure that the President repatriates and rehabilitates him. He is a political leader. The President doesn’t hate the Igbo people.”
Isiguzoro argued that Ekweremadu had paid his dues to the Igbo nation and should be rehabilitated. He added that if the move helped Tinubu stabilise his re-election bid in 2027, the South-East had no choice but to support.
PDP chairman backs government’s decision on Ekweremadu
Abia state Peoples Democratic Party chairman, Abraham Amah, said there was nothing wrong with Tinubu’s administration taking steps it considered appropriate. He noted that governance was a continuum and each administration acted based on prevailing realities.
He said:
“The insinuation that the move is driven by politics does not, by itself, make the action improper or undesirable. In matters like this, motives will always be debated, but what ultimately matters is whether the action aligns with national interest, compassion, and due process.”
Youth leaders supports Ekweremadu's repatriation to Nigeria
The president-general of the Coalition of South East Youth Leaders, Goodluck Ibem, expressed support for the transfer. He said:
“This move is not just about a singular individual; it is about fostering a sense of justice and integrity that resonates deeply within our community.”
Ibem urged stakeholders to focus on the broader implications, stressing that the collective goal should be the restoration of justice and the creation of a transparent political environment.
Source: Facebook
How Ekweremadu could have avoided jail
Legit.ng earlier reported that Ike Ekweremadu’s prison sentence for organ harvesting could have been avoided had he pursued lawful alternatives.
In a landmark case under the UK’s Modern Slavery Act, the former Nigerian deputy Senate president was sentenced to nine years and eight months for orchestrating an illegal organ trafficking operation.
Alongside his wife, Beatrice, and Dr Obinna Obeta, he was found guilty of conspiring to bring a vulnerable Nigerian man to the UK to harvest his kidney for their ailing daughter, Sonia.
Source: Legit.ng
