The Federal Government has commenced diplomatic consultations with the United Kingdom to facilitate the transfer of former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, to Nigeria to serve the remainder of his jail term.
A delegation led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, arrived in London earlier this week and has held meetings with senior officials of the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office as well as the Ministry of Justice.
The discussions, according to government sources, are part of ongoing efforts to secure Ekweremadu’s transfer under existing prisoner exchange frameworks between both countries.
Confirming the development, the Minister’s spokesman, Alkasim AbdulKadir, told Arise News that “consultations are still ongoing with UK authorities on the matter,” adding that “an appeal for a prisoner exchange, to allow Senator Ekweremadu serve the remainder of his term in Nigeria, has been formally presented.”
Senator Ekweremadu, a former Deputy President of the Senate, was convicted by a UK court in 2023 for organ trafficking offences and is currently serving a prison sentence in the United Kingdom.
The diplomatic engagement marks a significant step in Nigeria’s efforts to bring home citizens convicted abroad under humane and lawful international frameworks.
