UK Denies Nigeria's Request to Deport Politician Jailed for Organ Trafficking

The UK government has officially declined a request from Nigeria to extradite former Nigerian senator Ike Ekweremadu, who is currently serving a significant prison sentence for organ trafficking. Ekweremadu was sentenced to nine years and eight months in 2023 after being found guilty of conspiracy to exploit a man for his kidney, marking the first conviction under the Modern Slavery Act.

The 63-year-old, a former deputy president of the Nigerian Senate and an associate of ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, along with his wife Beatrice and Dr. Obinna Obeta, trafficked a young man to London with the intent of harvesting his kidney for a transplant to benefit their daughter, Sonia. This operation was intended to take place at a private facility within the NHS.

UK officials have expressed concerns that, should Ekweremadu be deported, there is insufficient assurance he would serve his sentence upon his return to Nigeria. A spokesperson for the UK government stated that prisoner transfers are evaluated carefully and depend on whether they align with broader public interest.

Ekweremadu’s conviction and sentencing spotlight issues within the UK healthcare system, highlighting vulnerabilities to organ trafficking. His case came to light when the victim, who had been misrepresented as a cousin of Sonia, sought police assistance fearing his life was in danger from further trafficking attempts.

The UK’s rejection of Nigeria's request raises questions within Nigeria about the government's apparent lack of action regarding the more than 230 other Nigerian nationals currently imprisoned in the UK.

In a separate but equally impactful case, the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) is appealing for information related to the 1981 deaths of milkman Eric Guiney and his son Desmond, who were killed during riots associated with the 1981 hunger strikes in Northern Ireland. A stone-throwing incident led to their milk lorry crashing into a concrete lamp post, with the violence erupting following the death of Bobby Sands.

In this ongoing investigation, the ICRIR is urging anyone with knowledge of the incident, which occurred in Belfast, to come forward, emphasizing the importance of obtaining justice for the Guiney family after more than four decades.

Meanwhile, a memo on a potential scoping inquiry into the crimes of Michael Shine, a former consultant at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, is set for Cabinet approval. Shine was convicted of multiple sexual assaults against minors during his tenure at the hospital, which spanned several decades. Following public outcry from victims and their advocates, there is rising hope for a thorough investigation into Shine’s activities and the failures that allowed his abuses to persist.

As these various cases unfold, they illustrate longstanding issues regarding justice and human rights in the UK and Ireland, highlighting the continuing impact on families and communities affected by systemic failures. #HumanRights #Justice #OrganTrafficking #NorthernIreland