Tobias Sylvester
David Ukpo Nwamini, the young man in the middle of the organ harvesting case involving a former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, and his wife, Beatrice Nwanneka, might be lying against them.
Ekweremadu and his wife
KanyiDaily recalls that on June 23, the UK metropolitan police had arrested the couple for allegedly trafficking a homeless boy from Lagos into the United Kingdom to harvest his organs for their ailing daughter.
The duo, who were arrested following an investigation by the police’ specialist crime team, are both charged with conspiracy to arrange or facilitate the travel of another person with a view to exploitation, namely organ harvesting.
On Thursday, the court heard how Ekweremadu and Beatrice tried to traffic a 15-year-old homeless boy from Lagos into the UK to transplant his organs to their daughter who suffers from kidney failure.
The pair were arrested at Heathrow on Tuesday before boarding a flight to Turkey – where it was suggested that the procedure could take place – the court heard.
David Ukpo Nwamini
However, a letter addressed to the UK Embassy and personally signed by the former Deputy Senate President indicated that the young man was to ‘donate’ a kidney to Ekweremadu’s daughter.
The Senator wrote to the British High Commission in Abuja, on December 28, 2021, in support of “the visa application made by Mr. Ukpo Nwamini David who is currently having medical investigations for a kidney donation to MS Sonia Ekweremadu”.
Although the police had said the donor was 15, data from his international passport and Bank Verification Number (BVN) indicate that Nwamini is actually 21-year-old, having been born on October 12, 2000.
The data in the passport also tallies his BVN record, all indicating he is not the child that the British authorities are claiming, and upon which Ekweremadu and his wife have been arraigned.
Farouk Kperogi, a Nigerian professor who teaches journalism at the Kennesaw State University in the United States, alleged that Nwamini might be plotting to seek asylum in the United Kingdom.
He said, “I dislike Ekweremadu the politician but empathize with Ekweremadu the father. As the father of three girls myself, I’ll do anything I can to save my daughters from death. That’s all this is about. Nothing more.
“So far, the evidence seems to be pointing in the direction of the possibility that 21-year-old Ukpo, upon arriving in the UK after agreeing to donate his kidney to Sonia, changed his mind and decided to seek asylum by claiming to be a 15-year-old child who’s trafficked to London for organ harvesting.
“If that turns out to be true, that would be a horrible way to escape Buhari’s Nigeria. Cashing in on other people’s personal tragedy–and destroying them in the process– just to pursue your dream to leave Nigeria is singularly evil.”
A close source to the Ekweremadus also disclosed that the Senator was not involved in any organ trafficking.
“Senator Ekweremadu has a daughter who needs a transplant. A willing donor was seen in Nigeria and travel preparations were made. He did write to the British High Commission, explaining the situation. The donor travelled to the UK with the patient.
The donor is a 21 year old man and not a girl. He is not a minor. As it happened, the organ did not even match. Not wanting to return to Nigeria, the donor went to report that he was trafficked to London for possible organ harvest, believing same would guarantee him asylum.” the source said.
KanyiDaily had earlier reported that the UK court denied Ike Ekweremadu and his wife Beatrice Nwanneka bail over conspiracy to harvest the organs of the child.
