Breaking News: Ekweremadu’s Wife, Beatrice, Returns to Nigeria After Serving UK Jail Term Over Organ Harvesting Case
Beatrice Ekweremadu, wife of former Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, has returned to Nigeria nearly two years after serving a prison sentence in the United Kingdom over her involvement in an organ harvesting conspiracy.
Mrs. Ekweremadu arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Tuesday, January 21, where she was received by friends and relatives, marking the end of a long and controversial legal saga that began in 2022.
Beatrice Ekweremadu was convicted alongside her husband for their roles in a plot to traffic a young Nigerian, Ukpo David, to the UK for the purpose of harvesting his kidney. The organ was intended for their daughter, Sonia, who is reportedly suffering from chronic kidney disease.
While Ike Ekweremadu was sentenced to nine years and eight months in prison as the principal driver of the scheme, Beatrice Ekweremadu received a four-year and six-month jail term for facilitating Ukpo David’s travel arrangements to the United Kingdom. Ukpo, a 21-year-old street trader from Nigeria at the time, was reportedly contacted through a middleman.
The couple were convicted alongside Obinna Obeta, described by prosecutors as a medical “middleman,” who is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence in the UK. Their conviction was secured under the United Kingdom’s Modern Slavery Act 2015, a landmark law designed to combat human trafficking and exploitation.
The case drew widespread attention both in Nigeria and internationally, sparking debates on ethics, abuse of power, and the desperation surrounding access to organ transplants.