A fresh courtroom drama has unfolded in Abuja, where a Federal High Court has struck down a legal challenge against a prior order granting embattled former Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu access to David Ukpo’s biodata for use in a UK court.
Justice Inyang Ekwo ruled that the suit, filed by Edo Civil Society Organisations (EDOSCO), had no legal standing. According to the judge, EDOSCO lacked the legal personality to sue or be sued under Article 3(e) of the Fundamental Rights Enforcement Procedure Rules 2009 (FREPR 2009).
Ekweremadu, who was convicted alongside his wife Beatrice and medical doctor Obinna Obeta in the UK for organ trafficking, has been at the center of a globally scrutinized legal battle. The latest ruling, delivered on February 5, underscores the court’s stance on procedural technicalities.
Justice Ekwo noted that EDOSCO, as an entity, had improperly filed the case, while its counsel, Bamidele Igbinedion, attempted to circumvent this fact in the affidavit supporting the suit. “The counsel for the applicant is aware of this but cleverly avoided stating it on the face of the application,” the judge remarked.
Furthermore, the judge agreed with the defense’s argument that the reliefs sought were unrelated to fundamental rights enforcement. “The requested information has already been utilized, as the respondents—the Ekweremadus—stood trial and were convicted in May 2023,” Ekwo concluded.
In June 2022, London Metropolitan Police arrested and charged Ekweremadu and his wife Beatrice for allegedly bringing David Ukpo to the UK for organ harvesting. Initially, UK authorities believed Ukpo was a minor, but official Nigerian records—his passport and Bank Verification Number (BVN)—confirmed he was 21.
Seeking to clarify Ukpo’s age, the Ekweremadus filed a suit (FHC/ABJ/CS/984/2022) at the Federal High Court in Abuja on June 27, 2022. They sought an order compelling the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to provide a Certified True Copy (CTC) of Ukpo’s biodata.
Justice Ekwo granted the request on July 1, 2022, ordering NIMC, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Stanbic IBTC, and United Bank for Africa (UBA) to furnish the necessary details.
In March 2023, a UK court convicted Ekweremadu, his wife Beatrice, and Obinna Obeta under the UK’s Modern Slavery Act of 2015 for conspiring to traffic a young man for organ harvesting.
On May 5, 2023, Justice Jeremy Johnson handed Ekweremadu a nine-year and eight-month prison sentence. Beatrice received four years and six months, while Obeta was sentenced to ten years behind bars.
Beatrice has since been released and has returned to Nigeria.
This article was updated 3 days ago
