House of Representatives has asked relevant agencies, especially the National Identity Management Commission, the Nigerian Immigration Service and banks to respond to legitimate requests for information to facilitate the prompt resolution of the charges against Senator Ike Ekweremadu and his wife, Beatrice.
The couple was arrested over allegations of human trafficking and exploitation for organ harvesting in the United Kingdom.
The House also directed 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.
These decisions were taken as a result of a motion of urgent public importance moved by Abdullahi Saad Abdulkadir, during plenary on Tuesday, June 28.
The House in the motion noted with concern the arrest of Senator 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.
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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.
The motion read;
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 Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, said a criminal charge does not constitute a conviction or conclusive proof of guilt and called for fairness in the matter.
He added;
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 urged the UK parliament to ensure Ekwemadu gets the proper due process in order to ensure 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.
I think this should be heightened as well to the UK Parliament. I would try and get in touch with the Speaker of the Parliament whom I was opportune to meet with and had fruitful discussions with just a couple of months ago. I believe (Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs) Honourable Buba Yusuf should also get in touch with his foreign affairs counterpart in the UK Parliament. We are not talking about anything but for the parliament in the UK to make sure that Senator Ekweremadu gets the proper due process, that the rule of law is applied and that he is treated fairly on this matter.
The Speaker further noted;
I believe the UK Parliament or the Congress of the United States, if their own was involved or if they have one of theirs, even a citizen, in this country that was going through the same travails, I believe that those parliaments would responsibly get involved as well. So, it is important that we apply diplomatic pressure. Nigeria has very strong diplomatic ties with the United Kingdom and all those areas must be explored. I wish the Senator and his family well. We cannot imagine what they are going through at this time.
And I want to reiterate, like many of us have said, that Nigerians should please, whatever the political opinion is on him as a person or the National Assembly, to at least, for a moment, step back and follow the Constitution that presumed these people innocent until they are proven guilty. Facts are emerging and we have to wait to gather all the facts.
Meanwhile, the House Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila disclosed that he is in constant touch with the British High Commissioner and has also reached out to the Foreign Affairs Minister to cause Nigerian embassy in the UK to provide all necessary consular services that the Ekweremadus may need in dealing with the situation at hand.
