Articles by Damilare Adeleye

Politics

UK Govt Rejects FGs Request For Ike Ekweremadus Transfer To Nigeria

Authorities in the United Kingdom have rejected a request made by the federal government to transfer the former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, to Nigeria to compete his jail sentence for organ trafficking. Ekweremadu is currently serving a sentence of nine years and eight months after being found guilty of conspiring to exploit a man for his kidney. It was earlier reported that the government of President Bola Tinubu dispatched a high-level delegation to the United Kingdom to engage British authorities earlier in the month. The delegation, which met with officials at the UK Ministry of Justice in London, included Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, and the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi. The team was later received at the Nigerian High Commission in London by Ambassador Mohammed Maidugu, the Acting High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. According to credible sources, the meeting formed part of President Bola Tinubu’s efforts to secure either Ekweremadu’s early release or a review of his sentence on humanitarian and legal grounds. Meanwhile, reports on Monday indicated that the British government rejected the request. A source at the Ministry of Justice was quoted confirming that the request was turned down. “It is understood the UK government was concerned that Nigeria could offer no guarantees that Ekweremadu would continue his prison sentence after being deported,” the report read. A government spokesperson said it could not comment on individual prisoners. They added: “Any prisoner transfer is at our discretion following a careful assessment of whether it would be in the interests of justice.” A source said: “The UK will not tolerate modern slavery and any offender will face the full force of UK law.” Beatrice Ekweremadu, who was sentenced to four years and six months, with half spent in custody, was released earlier this year and has since returned to Nigeria. The UK authorities are yet to formally react to the development.

Entertainment

Governor Fubara To Present 2026 Budget In New Rivers Assembly Complex

Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has expressed optimism of presenting the 2026 Appropriation Bill to the lawmakers in the new Rivers State Assembly Complex. The governor gave the hint on Monday, November 24 after the inspection of the Hallowed Chamber Complex being reconstructed by Monier Construction Company Limited. A statement by Boniface Onyedi, the SSA on media to the governor, said Fubara who was accompanied by Hon. Boniface Emerengwa, member representing Ikwerre/Emohua Federal Constituency, and Management of MCC Nig Ltd, expressed satisfaction with the work done at the complex, saying that there is hope that the complex will be ready at the end of December 2025. He assured that he is committed to ensuring the completion of the Assembly Complex on schedule to enable the lawmakers resume sitting at the Hallowed Chamber, adding that when that is done, he will be presenting the 2026 budget at the Main Hallowed Chamber in the way and manner it is required. “We have been working hard to ensure their permanent sitting Chamber is put in place. You know the drama that surrounded our relationship before, but by the grace of God, now that everything has been sorted out, it is our desire to ensure that the Assembly returns to their normal place of sitting,” the governor said. He pointed out that though the job has been on before the emergency rule, a period it was believed that nothing was being done. "So I came here to ascertain the extent of work done, and I feel very impressed with what I have seen," stressing that the Contractor informed him that he had already sublet the interior and some external works to Julius Berger Nigeria Plc to accelerate work and meet the scheduled timeline to deliver the work. The governor assured that once the main chamber is delivered, the remaining part of the complex will be handled by the Legislature once they resume sitting at the Complex.