Alleged Organ Harvesting: What Ekweremadu Failed To Do Before Leaving Nigeria – Ebun Adegboruwa

A legal luminary and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Ebun Olu-Adegboruwa has waded into the discussion that has dominated the news headlines in the last twenty four hours over the arrest of deputy Senate president, Ike Ekweremadu.

Ekweremadu was arrested by Interpol on Thursday for alleged organ harvesting after he reportedly trafficked a kidney donor to the United Kingdom.

According to the report, the senator and his wife had reportedly struck a deal with the donor before leaving Nigeria to donate a kidney for their daughter, Sonia who is said to he battling with kidney problem.

It was said that a kidney transplanting will be carried out on her and a donor whose has the blood group with her was found in Nigeria. An international passport was arranged for her and visa was issued for the donor. 

However, on getting to the airport, the Senator and his wife were arrested for organ harvesting. They were consequently taken to court which led to their remand in London prison. The development has become a major subject of discussion in Nigeria since Thursday.

Reacting to the situation on the Friday edition of Channels TV Sunrise Daily, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Ebun Olu-Adegboruwa explained that the senator did not really commit any offence but how he went about it was wrong.

According to him, the Senator must have concealed a certain information or didn’t follow the necessary procedures before embarking on the trip with the donor.

The whole thing ought to have been perfected here in Nigeria. Before such a thing is carried out, a letter must have been written from a reputable hospital in Nigeria that will be attached with the passport and other documents prepared for the donor.

This letter or document will indicate that the so called boy is traveling to donate an organ in line with an agreement duly signed and stamped by requisite authority. And the visa that will be issued to the donor will carry the purpose for which he is traveling to London.

In the same vein, the copy of the document will be forwarded to the immigration office for their documentation. Every office connected to the UK embassy will have been aware of the development. As a matter of fact, the information will have got to the UK even before the Senator arrives with his wife and the donor.

If this process had been duly followed by the senator and wife, this current trouble will have been avoided in the first place. 

Adegboruwa explained that what happened to Ekweremadu is a reflection of how Nigerian leaders use their influence and power to break protocols in order to have their ways. It is not like he doesn’t know the right thing to do but because of his position, he believes he can always have his way in whatever things he wants to do. 

However, the system operated in developed countries is different to what we have in Nigeria. Their law comes first before any other person no matter how powerful such a person is.

Adegboruwa explained on Channels TV.