HOUSE OF REPS ON IKE EKWEREMADU & HIS ORGAN HARVEST CASE

02/05/23

SHINA J.O

Nigeria’s House of Representatives has asked the federal government to take all necessary diplomatic steps and other necessary interventions regarding the travails of former deputy president of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu and his family.

The House resolution followed a motion by House Deputy Minority Leader, Toby Okechukwu who also appealed to the Central Criminal Court and government of the United Kingdom to temper justice with mercy in sentencing Ike Ekweremadu and his wife, Beatrice.

Okechukwu cited former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s passionate letter of clemency to the UK government where the elderstatesman testified to Ekweremadu’s character as a patriot, God-fearing and progressive citizen having served the country and west Africa as three-term deputy President of the Senate, deputy speaker and speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament.

The lawmaker asked the Nigeria government to explore its longstanding history and cordial ties with the United Kingdom to negotiate a diplomatic resolution for the former deputy President of the Senate and his wife as it is common practice for nations including the United Kingdom to seek relief for their citizens involved in situations such as that of the Ekweremadus.

Ekweremadu, 60, his wife, Beatrice, 56; and Dr Obinna Obeta, 51, were found guilty of facilitating the travel of a young man to Britain with a view to his exploitation after a six-week trial at the Old Bailey