LONDON, The United Kingdom – The family of Daniel, the victim-survivor in the landmark organ harvesting case involving Nigerian Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has made a public plea to the UK government, seeking answers about their son’s whereabouts and well-being.
In an emotional interview featured in the documentary series Daniel vs. Ekweremadu, the family expressed fears over Daniel’s safety, stating they do not know if he is dead or alive.
Daniel’s stepmother, speaking on camera for the first time, revealed the family has been unable to contact him since the legal case began, causing them immense distress.
“The disappearance of Daniel has been a huge problem in the family,” she said. “I fell sick because of this, but I had to encourage Daniel’s mum. We don’t know if he is dead or alive. We are begging the UK government; we are also begging the Nigerian government; please let us know how our son is doing.”
She emphasised the family’s fear and frustration, adding, “If anything happens to my son or any member of my family, hold Ekweremadu responsible.”
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Daniel’s brother also confirmed that their mother has not spoken to him since his involvement in the case, explaining, “He has not spoken to the mother. She doesn’t even have a phone.”
Filmmakers Raise Questions About Communication Breakdown
The docu-series, directed by award-winning filmmaker Chude Jideonwo, explores the troubling circumstances surrounding Daniel’s case and the impact it has had on his family in Nigeria.
Jideonwo and his team took the family’s concerns directly to British authorities, including the Metropolitan Police and Justice and Care, a non-governmental organization that confirmed they were in contact with Daniel.
However, according to Jideonwo, despite initial confirmations, Justice and Care did not participate in the documentary as planned and has since ceased communication.
“We found that deeply curious and disrespectful of a family that is heartbroken because they do not know if their son is dead or alive,” Jideonwo said.
“Daniel is a human being with rights and whose emotional well-being is crucial in addition to his physical safety.”
He added, “To be cut off completely from his family and for a request to at least confirm his well-being for his family’s sake to be ignored is strange. No one but the police now knows if Daniel – whose identity has been changed according to the authorities – is dead or alive, well or not.”
A Landmark Case in the UK’s Modern Slavery Law
The documentary Daniel vs. Ekweremadu chronicles the high-profile trial of Nigerian Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who, along with his wife Beatrice and doctor Obinna Obeta, was convicted under the UK’s Modern Slavery Law for attempting to harvest Daniel’s kidney for their ailing daughter.
The case marks the first conviction under the law and has drawn widespread attention in both Nigeria and the UK.
The judge in the case ordered that Daniel’s real identity remain protected, leading to the use of the pseudonym “Daniel” in the documentary.
The docu-series, which premiered its second part on August 30, gives audiences a gripping look into the dramatic fall of Ekweremadu from a prominent Nigerian politician to a convicted criminal.
Shot in both Nigeria and the UK, the series includes interviews with British prosecutors, police, and Daniel’s family, offering a rare and personal perspective on the groundbreaking case.
Family’s Plea for Answers
As the family continues to await any word from their son, their plea is clear: “We just want to know if he is safe,” Daniel’s stepmother said.
The family remains in the dark, their fear compounded by the ongoing silence from authorities.
The two-part series Daniel vs Ekweremadu is available exclusively on the streaming platform withchude.com, offering viewers unprecedented access to the case that has captivated the public and changed the course of legal history in the UK.
For the family of Daniel, however, the story remains a painful and unresolved chapter, as they continue to seek answers about their son’s fate.
