The United Kingdom government has turned down a formal request by the Federal Government of Nigeria to transfer former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, back home to complete the remainder of his prison sentence.
The development marks a major setback in diplomatic efforts by Abuja to secure a reprieve for the embattled lawmaker, who is serving a lengthy jail term for organ trafficking. Ekweremadu, a former three-time senator representing Enugu West Senatorial District and one of Nigeria’s most influential politicians of the Fourth Republic, was convicted in March 2023 by a UK court for conspiring to harvest the kidney of a young Nigerian man for the benefit of his ailing daughter. The High Court sitting at the Old Bailey sentenced him to nine years and eight months imprisonment, marking the first time a sitting or former Nigerian political office holder would be sentenced in the United Kingdom for an offence relating to modern slavery.
Tinubu Sends High-Level Delegation to London Hopes for Ekweremadu’s partial relief resurfaced earlier this month when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu dispatched a high-level Nigerian delegation to London to open discussions with British authorities. The team included the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN. Their mission was to explore diplomatic and legal channels that could enable Ekweremadu to serve the remainder of his jail term in Nigeria under existing prisoner-transfer agreements.
Government insiders had described the move as “a humanitarian gesture,” citing the former senator’s long years of service to the country and the deteriorating health of his daughter, Sonia, whose kidney ailment sparked the ill-fated attempt to procure an organ donor.
However, contrary to expectations in some political and diplomatic circles, the UK government was unmoved. UK Ministry of Justice Rejects Request According to a report by The UK Guardian, which cited an unnamed official from the UK’s Ministry of Justice (MoJ), the British government declined Nigeria’s request after evaluating the proposal and determining that it did not meet the threshold required for such transfers. The source stated that the UK authorities were concerned that Nigeria could not provide sufficient guarantees that Ekweremadu would continue his prison sentence once returned to the country.
“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 Guardian reported. The anonymous MoJ official further underscored the discretionary nature of prisoner transfers in the UK. “Any prisoner transfer is at our discretion following a careful assessment of whether it would be in the interests of justice,” the official said.
Reiterating the UK government’s stance on the crime for which Ekweremadu was convicted, the official added: “The UK will not tolerate modern slavery and any offender will face the full force of UK law.” A Blow to Nigeria’s Diplomatic Efforts
The refusal represents a diplomatic setback for Nigeria, which had hoped the UK would soften its position given the high-level engagement initiated by President Tinubu’s administration. While the details of the discussions between the Nigerian delegation and UK officials remain confidential, sources familiar with the talks suggested that Nigerian authorities argued that Ekweremadu, being a high-profile public figure, would not escape supervision or enforcement of his sentence if returned to Nigeria. But the UK, according to analysts, has historically maintained strict standards for prisoner transfers, especially in cases involving human trafficking and modern slavery, which the British government categorizes as serious transnational crimes requiring deterrence. Background to Ekweremadu’s Conviction
Ekweremadu, his wife Beatrice, and a medical doctor, Obinna Obeta, were arrested in June 2022 and charged with facilitating the travel of a 21-year-old Lagos street trader to London with the intention of harvesting his kidney. UK prosecutors argued successfully that the young man was deceived into believing he was travelling abroad for legitimate work, only to discover he was expected to undergo organ donation for the senator’s daughter. The court found that the defendants exploited the victim’s economic vulnerability and attempted to manipulate the UK’s medical system. Both Ekweremadu and his co-accused denied wrongdoing, stating they believed the young man had willingly volunteered to donate his kidney. Despite legal appeals, the sentence has remained in force. Nigeria Reacts: Silence at Home, Debate Among Citizens As news of the UK’s decision spread, reactions have begun trickling in from legal practitioners, civil society groups, and ordinary Nigerians. Some legal experts argued that the UK’s refusal was predictable.
According to Lagos-based human rights lawyer, Chidi Eze, the UK “has a very rigid stance on crimes related to modern slavery.” “There is almost zero chance that a convicted human trafficker—no matter their nationality—would be sent back to a country where enforcement mechanisms are seen as weak or where political influence might interfere with justice,” he said. Civil society groups also welcomed the UK’s decision, emphasizing that powerful individuals must be held accountable under international law.
On social media, the reactions were mixed. While some Nigerians expressed sympathy for Ekweremadu and his family, others insisted that his status as a former high-ranking government official should not entitle him to preferential treatment.
What This Means Going Forward With the UK’s rejection now confirmed, Ekweremadu is expected to continue serving his sentence in a British correctional facility unless new developments occur or future diplomatic overtures yield results. Under UK law, prisoners are typically eligible for release after serving two-thirds of their sentence, meaning Ekweremadu could regain freedom sometime around 2028, subject to parole assessments, conduct, and other factors.
Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not yet issued an official statement in response to the UK’s refusal, nor has the presidency. For now, the outcome underscores the limits of diplomatic negotiation when dealing with criminal convictions in jurisdictions with strong institutional safeguards. It also sends a broader message about how seriously the UK treats cases involving organ trafficking and broader human-rights violations.