By Staff Reporter
LONDON — Former Nigerian Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu remains in a British prison more than four years after his arrest at Heathrow Airport, with a late-2028 release window appearing more plausible than earlier claims of his release in mid-2027.
Ekweremadu was sentenced to nine years and eight months in prison after being convicted at the Old Bailey in London in connection with an organ-trafficking plot. His wife, Beatrice, has since completed the custodial part of her sentence and returned to Nigeria.
Based on the published sentence and the direction given by the court, Ekweremadu is required to serve two-thirds of his prison term before automatic release. This places his likely release period later than 2027.
The late-2028 timeframe, however, is an estimate based on the length of the sentence and the court’s ruling. It should not be treated as an official release date issued by the UK Prison Service.
Ekweremadu’s continued detention follows the rejection of a Nigerian bid seeking to have him transferred to Nigeria to serve the remainder of his sentence.
His release date could change if the relevant UK authorities approve an exceptional measure, including a prison transfer, home detention curfew or compassionate release. There is currently no indication that any such measure has been approved.
For now, claims that Ekweremadu is due to leave prison in mid-2027 appear inconsistent with the publicly stated terms of his sentence, while late 2028 represents an indicative estimate rather than a formally confirmed release date.
Credit: Daily Justice
