FG Hires Lawyers To Defend Ike Ekweremadu, Wife In UK

The Federal Government through the Nigerian High Commission to the United Kingdom has hired lawyers to defend a former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, and his wife, Beatrice, over allegations of organ harvesting, ABN TV learnt.

The Senate President Ahmad Lawan who disclosed this after a closed-door session of the chamber on Wednesday added that a delegation of the Chamber would on or before Friday this week visit Ekweremadu and his wife in London.

Ekweremadu and his wife, Beatrice were last week arrested and arraigned at Uxbridge Magistrates Court in London over allegations of organ harvesting.

The Court had ruled that the former Deputy Senate President and his wife be remanded in custody till July 7, 2022, which is the next adjournment date.

The visit according to Lawan would be undertaken by the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs chaired by Senator Adamu Bulkachuwa.

He said during the closed session, the lawmakers were briefed about Ekweremadu’s travail and also apprised of the role the Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Ambassador Sarafadeen Ishola, has been playing to ensure that Ekweremadu gets all needed assistance.

He commended the High Commissioner and his team for the work they are doing in providing needed consular support for Ekweremadu.

“The High Commission has been providing all Consular Services including the engagement of lawyers to defend Ekweremadu,” Lawan said.

He said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been engaged and is currently providing diplomatic support to Ekweremadu.

He assured Ekweremadu’s family that the Senate would work to get all needed support for Ekweremadu and his wife to overcome the present challenge.

According to Lawan, the decision to wade in Ekweremadu’s and his wife’s arrest and detention over allegations of organ harvesting was against the backdrop of a briefing received from the Nigerian High Commissioner to London.

He further disclosed that the Senate would engage the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Nigerian High Commission in London on the recent arrest of Senator Ike Ekweremadu by the London Metropolitan Police in the United Kingdom.

Lawan said, “I had a personal engagement with our Nigerian High Commissioner to Britain, Alhaji Ishola Sarafa, who has done so well to establish contact with our colleague, who has been able to get his team to be in the court at Uxbridge where Ekweremadu was taken to.

“The High Commission has also been able to provide some consular services that include the engagement of some lawyers who will defend our colleague.

“We commend them for giving attention to the issue at stake. Equally, the Nigeria Foreign Affairs Minister has been engaged here, so that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs takes steps to provide diplomatic support for our colleague.

“Because this issue is already in court, we have limited opportunity to discuss beyond what we have done so far.

“But I want to assure the family of our colleague, Senator Ike Ekweremadu and Nigerians, that the Senate will continue to engage with our Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as our High Commission in London.

“The High Commission has done so much but we still expect that it will continue to provide any other further consular services.

“We have also mandated our committee on Foreign Affairs to engage with the British High Commission here in Nigeria, to find more details on this case, as as far as the High Commission is involved.

“There will be a delegation to London to see Senator Ike Ekweremadu and his wife. A delegation from the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Senate will leave in the next two days to London for that purpose.

“I want to urge all Federal Government institutions that can do anything to ensure that justice prevails in this case, that they do so.”