Two Nigerians have been charged by the London Metropolitan Police with conspiring to bring a child to the UK for the purpose of harvesting organs, the police announced on Thursday.
Ike Ekweremadu, a former deputy senator in Nigeria, and his wife Beatrice Nwanneka Ekweremadu share the same names and ages as the accused, a man and a woman.
The Metropolitan Police’s Specialist Crime Team conducted an investigation, according to the police, who provided the following information about the accused:
[A] Beatrice Nwanneka Ekweremadu, 55 (10.9.66), of Nigeria, is accused of conspiring to set up or facilitate another person’s travel with the intention of exploitation, specifically organ harvesting.
[B] Ike Ekweremadu, 60 (12.05.62), of Nigeria, is accused of conspiring to set up or facilitate another person’s travel with the intention of exploitation, specifically organ harvesting.
According to the police, “the investigation was started after detectives were notified of potential offenses under modern slavery legislation in May 2022.”
The biographical information provided is consistent with the husband and wife of Mr. Ekweremadu, a senator currently serving as the Deputy Senate President.
Uche Anichukwu, the spokesperson for Mr. Ekweremadu, has been contacted, but as of the time of publication, he has not responded to our inquiries.
They have both been placed back in custody and will show up in court later today, according to Met.
Since criminal proceedings are currently under way, Met stated, “We will not be providing further details.”
The police said that “A child has been safeguarded and we are working closely with partners on continued support,” without specifying the child’s gender.
Details to come…
