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Organ Trafficking: Ekweremadu bags 10 years in UK prison
The 21-year-old Lagos street trader was falsely presented as Ekweremadu’s daughter’s cousin in an attempt to persuade doctors to carry out an £80,000 private kidney transplant
Former Deputy Senate President of Nigeria, Ike Ekweremadu, has been sentenced to nine years and eight months in prison by a United Kingdom court for his role in an organ trafficking plot. His wife, Beatrice, was also sentenced to four years and six months, while Dr Obinna Obeta, the medical doctor who acted as a “middleman,” received a 10-year sentence and had his medical license suspended.
According to reports, a 21-year-old Lagos street trader was falsely presented as Ekweremadu’s daughter’s cousin in an attempt to persuade doctors to carry out an £80,000 private kidney transplant at the Royal Free Hospital in London. The young man was offered an illegal reward to become a donor for Ekweremadu’s daughter after kidney disease forced her to drop out of a master’s degree program at Newcastle University.
The prosecutor, Hugh Davies KC, described Ekweremadu’s behavior as showing “entitlement, dishonesty, and hypocrisy,” and accused him and Obeta of treating the man and other potential donors as “disposable assets – spare parts for reward.” Their conviction was the first verdict of its kind under the Modern Slavery Act.
Davies argued that Ekweremadu’s actions were not simply expedient in his daughter’s clinical interests but were exploitative and criminal. “Her clinical needs cannot come at the expense of the exploitation of somebody in poverty,” he said.
News
JUST IN: IGP Disu Assigns Portfolios to New DIGs
DIG Zachariah Fera Achinyan has been deployed to Legal Services, DIG Zango Ibrahim Baba to Research and Planning, and DIG Isyaku Mohammed to Training and Development departments.
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Olatunji Disu has assigned the new Deputy Inspectors -General of Police (DIGs) their duties responsibilities.
Sources said that the DIGs were assigned departments based on their areas of competence.
DIG Zachariah Fera Achinyan has been deployed to Legal Services,
DIG Zango Ibrahim Baba to Research and Planning, and DIG Isyaku Mohammed to Training and Development departments.
Similarly, DIG Margaret Agebe Ochalla has been posted to the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID);
DIG Mohammed Abdul Sulaiman to Finance and Accounts; DIG Kenechukwu Onwuemelie will oversee the Force Intelligence Department (FID); DIG Fayoade Adegoke will head Information and Communication Technology, while DIG Umar Shehu Nadada has been posted to Operations departments.
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Airport Access Gates: FG Approves Cash and FAAN Go Cashless Cards for Payment
The statement also noted that motorists who already possess FAAN Go Cashless Cards can continue using them until further notice.
In addition, other electronic payment channels, including Point-of-Sale (POS) terminals and approved digital platforms, will remain available
The Federal Government has directed the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to accept both cash and electronic payments at airport access gates nationwide, as part of efforts to ease traffic congestion.
The directive followed a meeting between the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development and officials of the FAAN, alongside senior officials of the ministry, on Tuesday.
The move comes after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ordered the suspension of the full cashless payment system at airport access gates following complaints that it had caused traffic gridlocks.
In a statement issued in Abuja by the minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Tunde Moshood, the government has resolved to gradually transition to a fully automated payment system at airport access points.
As part of the interim measures, the ministry announced that a hybrid payment system allowing both cash and card payments will take effect at all airport access gates from March 13, 2026.
The statement also noted that motorists who already possess FAAN Go Cashless Cards can continue using them until further notice.In addition, other electronic payment channels, including Point-of-Sale (POS) terminals and approved digital platforms, will remain available
News
LASEMA Cautions Social Media Platforms Against Circulating False News
LASEMA Permanent Secretary, Dr. Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, made the call today following his visit to a collapsed three-storey school building at Yemco Schools, Daycare Nursery, Primary and Comprehensive College, located at 11, Adu Street, Behind County Hospital, Aguda, Ogba, Lagos State.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has cautioned news platforms, especially social media against the circulation of misleading information.
LASEMA Permanent Secretary, Dr. Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, made the call today following his visit to a collapsed three-storey school building at Yemco Schools, Daycare Nursery, Primary and Comprehensive College, located at 11, Adu Street, Behind County Hospital, Aguda, Ogba, Lagos State.
He said : “In situations like this, inaccurate reports and exaggerated claims can create unnecessary panic within the public.
“We urge members of the public and media platforms to rely only on verified information released by official government agencies such as LASEMA and other authorized emergency management bodies.
Spreading unverified information during emergencies can hinder response operations and misinform the public.
” First and foremost, I want to reassure the public that this incident did not result in any loss of life.”
He emphasised:” After careful assessment and rescue operations, I can confirm that all individuals within the vicinity of the building were accounted for and no casualties were recorded. Because no lives were lost, we categorize this situation not as a disaster but as an emergency incident, which was quickly managed through coordinated response efforts.”
According to him, emergency responders from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency and other first responders were immediately deployed to the scene to conduct a thorough search and safety assessment.
Our emergency teams promptly secured the environment, carried out safety checks, and ensured that there were no trapped victims within the structure.
The safety of residents, students, and staff remains our top priority.
The Lagos State Government remains committed to protecting lives, ensuring rapid emergency response, and maintaining public safety across the state.
We will continue to work with relevant authorities to assess the structural integrity of buildings across Lagos and enforce safety regulations where necessary.
Once again, I want to reassure residents that the situation has been fully contained and there is no cause for alarm.”
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