Beatrice Ekweremadu, wife of former Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, has returned to Nigeria following her release from a United Kingdom prison.
She arrived in Abuja on January 21, 2026, after completing the custodial portion of her sentence in the UK. Family members and close associates received her at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, marking her first return to Nigeria since her arrest in 2022.
Beatrice was convicted in May 2023 by the Old Bailey Court in London for her role in an organ-harvesting conspiracy involving a 21-year-old Lagos street trader. The court sentenced her to four years and six months in prison for conspiring to facilitate the victim’s travel to the UK for the purpose of harvesting his kidney.
The kidney was intended for the Ekweremadus’ daughter, Sonia, who suffers from a chronic kidney condition. The prosecution was carried out under the UK’s Modern Slavery Act 2015, marking the first time the law was applied in a human organ-harvesting case.
Under UK sentencing guidelines, non-violent offenders may be released on licence after serving half of their custodial sentence. Beatrice’s release was reportedly aided by her good conduct in prison and broader measures by UK authorities to ease prison overcrowding.
Despite his wife’s return, Senator Ike Ekweremadu remains in UK custody. He was sentenced in May 2023 to nine years and eight months in prison after the court ruled that he played a leading role in the conspiracy.
Attempts by the Nigerian government to secure his transfer to Nigeria have so far failed. In November 2025, the UK Home Office reportedly rejected a proposal for his repatriation, citing concerns over the enforcement of his sentence if transferred.
A third defendant in the case, Dr Obinna Obeta, described by prosecutors as the medical intermediary, is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence in the UK.
Sonia Ekweremadu, who was cleared of all criminal charges during the trial, remains abroad, where she is reportedly receiving ongoing medical care.
Beatrice Ekweremadu’s return sparked celebrations in her hometown of Mpu, in Aninri Local Government Area of Enugu State, even as her husband continues to serve his sentence overseas
