Beatrice Ekweremadu, wife of former Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, has returned to Nigeria following her release from a United Kingdom prison, The Punch has reported.
Mrs Ekweremadu arrived in the country on Tuesday, January 21, 2026, after serving the custodial part of her sentence linked to a widely publicised organ-harvesting case.
She was welcomed by family members and close associates at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, marking her first return to Nigeria since her legal troubles began in mid-2022.
Her arrival has reportedly triggered celebrations in her hometown of Mpu, located in Aninri Local Government Area of Enugu State, even as her husband continues to serve his sentence in the UK.
Mrs Ekweremadu was convicted in May 2023 by the Old Bailey in London for conspiring to arrange the travel of a 21-year-old Lagos trader to the UK for the purpose of kidney harvesting. The organ was intended for their daughter, Sonia, who suffers from a chronic kidney condition.
She received a prison sentence of four years and six months under the UK’s Modern Slavery Act 2015. Under British law, non-violent offenders may be released on licence after completing half of their sentence. Reports indicate that her release was influenced by good conduct and broader measures by UK authorities to ease prison overcrowding.
While Mrs Ekweremadu has returned home, Senator Ike Ekweremadu remains incarcerated in the UK. He was sentenced in May 2023 to nine years and eight months, with the court describing him as the key figure behind the conspiracy.
Attempts by the Nigerian government to secure his transfer or release have so far been unsuccessful. In late 2025, a high-level diplomatic delegation travelled to London to push for a Prisoner Transfer Agreement, which would have allowed him to serve the remainder of his sentence in Nigeria.
However, the UK Home Office reportedly declined the request in November 2025, citing concerns over the enforcement of the sentence if transferred.
Another defendant in the case, Dr Obinna Obeta—identified by prosecutors as the medical intermediary—remains in UK custody, serving a 10-year prison term.
Meanwhile, the couple’s daughter, Sonia, who was cleared of any wrongdoing during the 2023 trial, is still in the UK and is said to be undergoing continued medical treatment.