By Christiana Ekpa
The House of Representatives, Tuesday charged relevant agencies of the Federal Government and corporate bodies to respond to legitimate requests for information to facilitate the prompt resolution of the charges against Senator Ike Ekweremadu and his wife, Beatrice, who were arrested over allegations of human trafficking and exploitation for organ harvesting in the United Kingdom.
The charge was made particularly to the National Identity Management Commission, the Nigerian Immigration Service and banks.
The House also mandated the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the High Commission of Nigeria to the United Kingdom to take all necessary steps possible to ensure that Senator Ekweremadu and his wife are provided with all consular services as they may require in this time.
The House invited the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Acting Comptroller of the Nigerian Immigration Service, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Identity Management Commission to brief it through the relevant committees on all necessary actions taken regarding the matter.
The House resolutions followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance moved by Abdullahi Saad Abdulkadir.
The House in the motion noted with concern the arrest of Senator Ike Ekweremadu, a Nigerian citizen and serving senator, former Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate and former Speaker of the ECOWAS parliament by the Metropolitan Police in the United Kingdom.
The House further noted that “Senator Ekweremadu was arrested alongside his wife Dr Mrs Beatrice Ekweremadu at London Heathrow airport on their arrival from Nigeria to the United Kingdom.”
The House said it was aware that “the Metropolitan Police and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) have since charged the Ekweremadus of offences relating to human trafficking and exploitation and have had them detained pending the determination of the jurisdiction issues by the Attorney-General of England and Wales.”
The House said it was “disturbed by the nature and details so far available about the charges against the couple.”
It was concerned that the additional information emerging from the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) and other legitimate sources including the visa issuing protocols at the UK High Commission, bank verification number (BVN) suggest a different narrative which might not have been available to the Metropolitan Police at the time of arrest and charge.
The House expressed hope that “the authorities in the United Kingdom will work with their national security and intelligence counterpart in Nigeria to conduct a holistic and thorough investigation to ascertain all the facts relating to the allegation in order to make a fair determination on the issues in the best interest of equity and justice for all concerned.”
It further expressed confidence that the Federal Government, “will through the respective organs use all available tools to ensure that the investigation and outcome will be conducted in the highest fidelity to the rule of law and with respect to the dignity of the person as enshrined in the European Convention of Human Rights, of which the United Kingdom is a signatory.”
“The House is aware of Senator Ike Ekweremadu’s unblemished record as a constitutional lawyer, ranking legislator at the highest level in Nigeria, West Africa subregion and various international parliamentary bodies and foremost advocate of the right and dignity of man.
“The House is also aware that Mrs Ekweremadu has had a flawless career in the Nigerian federal public service rising to the rank of director.
“The House is mindful of the value of human life. It is imperative that Miss Ekwemadu who has a life threatening ailment is not allowed to come to arms way due to the unavailability of parental care owing to their continuous detention in the United Kingdom,” the motion read.
In an introductory remark earlier, the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, said a criminal charge does not constitute a conviction or conclusive proof of guilt and called for fairness in the matter.
“This merely the beginning of the judicial process to substantiate the fact of the allegation and gather sufficient evidence to sustain the charges therein. Until that process is concluded and even then let us keep in mind that at the heart of this matter there are human beings and fellow citizens whose lives have taken a turn none of us would ever wish for ourselves.
“I ask the Nigerian High Commission to avail Senator Ekweremadu and his family all necessary defense and support that he will need to defend himself. 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 Ekwemadu is given the full opportunities, rights and privileges that he would need to defend himself.
Contributing to the motion later, Gbajabiamila said urged the UK parliament to ensure Ekwemadu gets the proper due process, that the rule of law is applied
“As I said in my opening remarks, this is very important. I have spoken with the Nigerian High Commissioner who has been extremely proactive in this matter and I expressed the need for him to continue to avail Senator Ekweremadu with all the necessary assistance that he will need to prove his case.
What action did the House take regarding Miss Ekweremadu’s condition and her parents’ continued detention?