UK-Nigeria pact fuels talk of Ekweremadu’s return

Ekweremadu

Former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, may be among Nigerians to be repatriated from the United Kingdom following a new bilateral agreement between both countries covering the return of failed asylum seekers, visa overstayers and convicted offenders, Saturday PUNCH has gathered.

The agreement was signed during President Bola Tinubu’s recent state visit to the UK.

Ekweremadu was convicted in March 2023 and sentenced to nine years and eight months imprisonment by the Old Bailey for organ trafficking.

The conviction followed an attempt to bring a 21-year-old Lagos street vendor, David Nwamini, to the UK for a kidney transplant for his daughter.

His wife, Beatrice, was also sentenced to four years and six months imprisonment, while a medical doctor involved in the case, Dr Obinna Obeta, received a 10-year jail term under the UK’s Modern Slavery laws.

Beatrice has since completed her sentence and returned to Nigeria in January 2025.

The Federal Government had earlier initiated moves to secure Ekweremadu’s transfer to Nigeria before the completion of his sentence. Punch