The Nigerian Federal Government has reportedly hired lawyers to defend the lawmaker representing Enugu West Senatorial District, Ike Ekweremadu, and his wife, Beatrice.
The couple are facing charges bordering on human trafficking, organ harvesting and other related offenses.
According to Senate President Ahmad Lawan, the Nigerian High Commission in the United Kingdom has engaged the services of lawyers to defend the couple.
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Lawan disclosed this on Wednesday while briefing newsmen on the details of a closed door meeting of the upper chamber.
Lawan also said that a delegation from the Committee on Foreign Affairs have bee mandated to depart Nigeria for London on July 1, 2022, to pay a visit to the embattled couple.
In a statement by the Special Assistant (Press) to Lawan, Dr. Ezrel Tabiowo, titled, ‘Senate delegation to visit Ekweremadu, wife in London’, Lawan said the the decision to wade into Ekweremadu’s arrest and detention was against the backdrop of a briefing received by the Nigerian High Commissioner to London.
He said, “I had a personal engagement with our Nigerian High Commissioner to Britain, Alhaji Isola Sarafa, who has done so well to establish contact with our colleague, who has been able to get his team to be in the court at Uxbridge where Ekweremadu was taken to.
“The high Commission has also been able to provide some consular services that include the engagement of some lawyers who will defend our colleague.
“We commend them for giving attention to the issue at stake. Equally, the Nigeria Foreign Affairs Minister has been engaged here, so that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs takes steps to provide diplomatic support for our colleague.
“Because this issue is already in court, we have limited opportunity to discuss beyond what we have done so far.
“But I want to ensure the family of our colleague, Senator Ike Ekweremadu and Nigerians, that the Senate will continue to engage with our ministry of foreign affairs as well as our high commission in London.
“The High Commission has done so much but we still expect that it will continue to provide any other further consular services.
“We have also mandated our committee on foreign affairs to engage with the British high commission here in Nigeria, to find more details on this case, as as far as the high commission is involved.
“There will be a delegation to London to see Senator Ike Ekweremadu and his wife. A delegation from the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Senate will leave in the next two days to London for that purpose.
“I want to urge all federal government institutions that can do anything to ensure that justice prevails in this case, that they do so.”
