Enugu Governor Mbah Confirms Push to Bring Ekweremadu Home to Serve Prison Term in Nigeria

Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah has disclosed that efforts are actively underway to facilitate the return of former Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu from the United Kingdom to Nigeria to complete his prison sentence.

Mbah said his administration is engaging relevant Nigerian authorities to explore an arrangement with the British government that would allow Ekweremadu to serve the remainder of his jail term in Nigeria.

Speaking during an interview with BBC Igbo, Mbah confirmed that he remains in regular contact with the jailed former lawmaker and is among those appealing to the Federal Government to intervene.

“What happened is a test. We are still in touch with him. We are among those who are asking the Nigerian authorities to find out how they and England can ensure that Ekweremadu stays in Nigeria to serve the full sentence if they want him to stay in prison. We hope that he will be released soon,” Mbah said.

The governor also expressed deep sympathy for Ekweremadu, framing the circumstances that led to his imprisonment as a tragedy that could confront any parent facing a child’s life-threatening health crisis.

“If you have never had a child of your own, you will never fully understand what a father will do to save or help his child during a time of health crisis,” Mbah added.

Ekweremadu is currently serving a nine-year and eight-month sentence handed down in May 2023 after a UK court convicted him of conspiring to facilitate the harvesting of a young Nigerian’s kidney for his daughter, Sonia.

His wife, Beatrice, received a four-year and six-month sentence and was released in January 2025, while Dr. Obinna Obeta was jailed for 10 years.

Mbah’s renewed push comes against the backdrop of a previous diplomatic setback. In November 2025, a Nigerian delegation led by Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar met with UK Ministry of Justice officials to request Ekweremadu’s transfer, but the British government rejected the appeal over concerns that Nigeria could not guarantee he would continue serving his sentence if transferred.

A UK government spokesperson stated at the time that any prisoner transfer is approved only after a careful assessment of whether it serves the “interests of justice”.

Despite that rejection, President Bola Tinubu has since transmitted the Transfer of Convicted Offenders (Enactment and Enforcement) (Amendment) Bill 2026 to the National Assembly, seeking to establish a legal framework for transferring Nigerians convicted abroad to serve their sentences at home.

The proposed legislation would empower the Federal Government to enter into prisoner-transfer agreements with other countries, potentially creating a pathway for Ekweremadu’s eventual return.