Kidney Donor Saga:  Immigration clarifies issues

The Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) has clarified that the man at the centre of the alleged transplant saga involving former Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu and his wife, Beatrice, Nwamini David Ukpo, is actually 21 and not 15 as alleged in many media reports.

The Comptroller General of NIS, Isa Jere, stated this on Sunday.

Ekweremadu and his wife were arrested by The Metropolitan Police at the Heathrow Airports for alleged human trafficking and organ harvesting on Tuesday.

They were arraigned on Thursday Uxbridge Magistrates Court, which ordered their remand in police custody until July 7.

Many media reports had alleged Ukpo is 15 and not 21 as stated in a purported covering letter to the British Embassy by Ekweremadu.

But Jere said Ukpo’s date of birth as captured by the NIS after thorough verification is “12-10-2000. It is the same record on NPC and letter of indigeniship by Ebonyi Government submitted by the applicant.”