Nigerian Senator Ike Ekweremadu, along with his wife, Nwanneka, and daughter, Sonia, appeared in a London court on Thursday, March 9, 2023, to testify on why they sought an organ donor for Sonia.
Ekweremadu, a former deputy senate president, took the stand in the high-profile case to explain why his family had gone overseas to find a donor for his daughter.
According to Ekweremadu, his daughter had been diagnosed with a medical condition that required a kidney transplant. The family had exhausted all options in Nigeria and had to look for a donor abroad. He added that they had followed all the necessary legal and ethical procedures in their search for a donor.
“I want to state categorically that we did not engage in any illegal activity in our search for a donor for my daughter,” Ekweremadu told the court. “We followed all the legal and ethical procedures in our search for a donor.”
The senator’s appearance in court is part of a wider investigation into organ trafficking. The case has attracted a lot of attention in Nigeria, where the issue of organ trafficking is a growing concern.
Organ trafficking involves the illegal buying and selling of organs, usually for transplantation. It is a major problem in many countries, including Nigeria, where poverty and a lack of medical facilities have created a thriving black market for organs.
Ekweremadu’s testimony is expected to shed light on the challenges faced by families in Nigeria who are seeking organ transplants for their loved ones. It is also hoped that the case will lead to greater awareness of the dangers of organ trafficking, and encourage governments to take stronger action against those involved in the illegal trade.
The trial is ongoing, and further details are expected to emerge in the coming weeks. However, Ekweremadu’s testimony has already highlighted the importance of ethical and legal procedures in the search for organ donors, and the need for greater awareness and action to combat organ trafficking.
