From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The House of Representatives has invited Ministers of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola and Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, to brief it on issues relating to the arrest, prosecution and detention of former deputy Senate president, Ike Ekweremadu, and his wife, Nwanneka in London.
They were arraigned in a London court last week, over alleged “conspiracy to arrange facilitate travel of another person with a view to exploitation namely organ harvesting.”
The House also invited acting Comptroller General of Immigration, Issa Jere and Director General/Chief Executive Officer of National Identity Management Commission( NIMC) to brief its relevant committees on necessary actions taken on the issue.
It also mandated the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Nigeria High Commission in United Kingdom ( UK) to take necessary steps to provide the former Deputy Senate President and his wife with all consular services they require.
The Green Chamber charged the Nigerian Immigration Service, NIMC, and banks involved in unraveling the age status of the alleged minor-organ donor to respond swiftly “for information to facilitate the prompt resolution of the charges against” the couple.
These followed the adoption of a motion of urgent national importance by the deputy chairman, House Committee on Public Accounts, Abdullahi Abdukadir on the need to ensure that Ekweremadu’s investigation by the Metropolitan Police and Crown Prosecution Service in the United Kingdom conforms to the rule of law and respect for the rights of the individual enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights.
Abdukadir, in his lead debate, had informed the House that Ekweremadu, is also a former deputy speaker of ECOWAS parliament and that all the privileges entitled to him as a holder of diplomatic passport, had allegedly been jettisoned by the British authority, saying the Nigerian parliament should not allow that.
“We cannot allow this to happen. If it can happen to someone of Ekweremadu’s status, I wonder what would happen to ordinary Nigerians…Secondly, as a diplomatic passport holder, there are status and privileges that he is supposed to enjoy. But from what is happening so far, we feel that all the privileges and status that he is supposed to enjoy has been thrown to the dustbin.”
Abdukadir said the Metropolitan Police and Crown Prosecution Service have charged the couple for offences relating to alleged “human trafficking and exploitation and have had them detained pending the determination of the jurisdiction issues by the attorney-general of England and Whales.”
The lawmaker noted that additional information from NIS and other agencies suggest “a different narrative which might not have been available to the Metropolitan Police at the time of arrest and charge.” He expressed hopes that the UK authority would work with their Nigerian counterpart to conduct a holistic investigation and ensure justice for all concerned.
Similarly, Toby Okechukwu, in his contribution, said there was for need for the British authority to ensure that there is fairness and justice for all involved in the case.
Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila said he has reached out to the Nigerian High Commission in UK to avail the Ekweremadu’s all necessary support needed to defend themselves.
“Indeed, I have spoken to the High Commissioner in the UK. I still spoke with him this morning and he has been very proactive. He has done all that needs to be done. The Queen’s Counsel has been made available to Ekweremadu. He has access to him. The Nigerian High Commission is doing all that is necessary to make sure that Senator Ekweremadu is given the full opportunities, rights and privileges that he would need to defend himself.”