Key Points
- President Tinubu’s delegation meets UK Ministry of Justice over Ekweremadu’s case. The move marks renewed diplomatic talks since his conviction in March 2023.
- The meeting highlights Tinubu’s interest in major Nigerian legal issues abroad. It shows stronger ties between Abuja and London on justice matters.
- Ekweremadu’s family remains hopeful as talks continue. His sentence under the UK’s Modern Slavery Act drew wide global reactions.
Former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, remains in British custody after being convicted under the UK’s Modern Slavery Act in March 2023. A new diplomatic mission from Nigeria met with British officials this week to discuss his case.
The high-level delegation, sent by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was led by Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar and Attorney General Lateef Olasunkanmi Fagbemi.
They met senior officials at the UK Ministry of Justice to discuss possible legal and diplomatic pathways concerning the detained lawmaker. President Tinubu’s earlier diplomatic meetings in London provide context for this latest move.
Following the London meeting, the delegation visited the Nigerian High Commission where they were received by Ambassador Mohammed Maidugu, the Acting High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.
According to diplomatic sources, the talks centred on legal cooperation and Nigeria’s interest in fair treatment for its citizens abroad.
This engagement signals a shift in the Tinubu administration’s handling of international legal matters involving prominent Nigerians.
It comes at a time when Abuja has shown greater willingness to intervene in cross-border justice issues, especially when national interest is involved.
Ekweremadu was found guilty alongside his wife, Beatrice, and a medical doctor for plotting to exploit a young man’s kidney for transplant in Britain. His sentencing to nine years and eight months was the first of its kind for a public official under the Modern Slavery Act.
Since the conviction, the case has drawn mixed reactions from Nigerians at home and abroad. Many called for diplomatic review, while others viewed the judgment as a reminder that political power cannot shield wrongdoing. Public reactions to similar high-profile cases underline how sensitive such matters remain.
For now, the Tinubu government’s latest move may reopen discussions about the balance between justice, diplomacy, and Nigeria’s image abroad
