From a high ranking politician to a cellmate in detention. Ike Ekweremadu 60, a lawyer, and a long-serving Nigeria lawmaker for 20 consecutive years is facing travails in the United Kingdom after being arrested alongside his wife Beatrice in London over a case of Organ trafficking.
This hasn’t been the only dark story of Ekweremadu, as Ikejabird takes a look at 5 ordeals the popular Nigeria politician has faced over a decade.
1. 2018 Assassination attempt
Like many other high-profile individuals, each of the Nigerian politicians have been a target of one assassination attempt or the other.
In 2018, Ekweremadu reported that some group of armed men broke into his apartment trying to kill him.
Although he was unhurt as he claimed, the armed men were overpowered, and while they seized one of them, the rest of the criminals took to their heels.
2. Sonia Ekweremadu’s kidney illness
The 25 year old daughter of the former deputy speaker of the senate surfaced on the internet with bandages and medical kits tacked to her body. It led many to guess she had a medical condition.
Sonia, who is a graduate from the University of Coventry, suffers an acute kidney problem, and requires immediate transplant.
She claims this has affected her family in numerous ways as she remains at the United Kingdom hospital. She further said on her Instagram page that she needs a donor as soon as possible.
3. 2019, IPOB threat and violent attack in Germany
2019 started in a hard way for Mr. Ekweremadu by threats of violence from the eastern group known as Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) as he vehemently sided with the federal government over the release of the group leader.
“Political solution in the Nnamdi Kanu’s matter is still very feasible. I also watched the Channels Television interview and I don’t think Mr. President ruled out a political solution. In fact, I would have been surprised if he said he would just release Nnamdi Kanu because there is independence of every arm of government, including the judiciary. There are procedures,” said the former Deputy Senate President.
These were his words in January 2022 during a radio program in Enugu. This has caused controversies as pressure from the group mounts up.
He was also attacked in Germany and he escaped a close lynching while he was attending an Ndigbo event. He was also stoned with eggs as they called him a disgrace in Nunberg.
4. Ekweremadu alleged fraud cases/ properties forfeiture
Another battle for the former deputy speaker is the alleged fraud case he has with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) which has led to the forfeiture of his 40 properties.
Among these assets temporarily seized by the commission were 15 in Abuja, 10 in Enugu (Mr. Ekweremadu’s home state), one in Lagos, two in the United Kingdom, three in the United States, and nine in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
This forfeiture was announced by the crime commission on Friday 4, 2022 on the order of the federal high court in Abuja. The EFCC said the former deputy speaker is being investigated for money laundering cases.
5. Arrest and detention in the United Kingdom
In June 2022, Mr. Ike Ekweremadu alongside his wife Mrs. Beatrice Ekweremadu were arrested in London over conspiracy to traffic organs. They were charged to court subsequently.
This happened while the couple were trying to get a donor for their sick daughter. They said the donor, David Nwamini agreed to help and there was no trace of coercion, but the prosecutors claimed the donor was lured to the country with promise of a better life to harvest his kidney for their daughter in the UK.
Since then, the former lawmaker and his wife has been battling the case in the UK court where they may face 10 years imprisonment if found guilty.
Mr. Ekweremadu remains in custody, and a London Court has adjourned his case until May 2023.
