Former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu and his wife Beatrice have been sentenced to prison by a UK court for their involvement in the organ harvesting charges brought against them.
While the senator was jailed for nine years and eight months, his wife was handed four years and six months sentence in prison.
The news of the senator’s sentencing has dominated headlines in Nigeria and triggered social media reactions nationwide.
News.ng monitored the comments of Nigerians on the issue across various social platforms, as the topic has been the number one trending topic in the last few hours.
On Twitter, Obi-West Utchaychukwu blames the minor who reported the Ekweremadus to the UK authorities, saying:
“The supposed kidney donor who is playing smart should know that he would reap what he sowed. He got to UK and changed his mind which turned out to nail Ike Ekweremadu and his wife, including the doctor. He has done his own. Karma will do its own.”
Asraf Babagana wrote:
“As much as I feel sympathy for Ike Ekweremadu’s plight, it has a strong message. Greed calls for caution. This man joined Senate since 1999 & refused to allow others taste it. Today, God has given him problem that will collect all that he laboured for. A lesson to fear God.”
Some Nigerians also shared their thoughts on the issue on Nigeria’s most prominent online forum, Nairaland.
A Nigerian with the moniker ‘N3TRAL’ wrote:
“At this point, we cannot deny that the plethora of leniency pleas sent by prominent African individuals and organisations in the form of letters posted to representatives of the British Government influenced the court in tempering justice with mercy.
“It’s a fair conviction and sentence, especially, due to the fact that the case is the first of its kind in the United Kingdom brought under the Modern Slavery Act of 2015.
“They’ll become better Earth citizens when they complete their jail terms.
“I hope that my pretty Sonia gets a legal donor and completes the transplant successfully before her parents are released.
“I also wish the brave victim well and hope he goes through a soothing integration into European culture and society. He is the hero of the story.”
Another Nigerian with the moniker ‘Shotgun’ wrote:
“This is not justice but witch hunting. How can you sentence a man that wrote to your embassy about his intention to take someone to UK for the purpose of organ donation? The donor is not a minor. What nonsense law do they practice in the UK?”
On Facebook, a former national publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Olisa Metuh, wrote:
“In all, we still give glory to God, but 9 yrs and eight months is difficult to handle.”
Adnan Mukhtar TundunWada, a journalist, wrote:
“The UK court don’t compromise the provision of their law. It’s obvious that they wouldn’t listen to Nigerian Senate, former president Obasanjo and others who made several calls for leniency on Ike Ekweremadu who’s standing trial with his wife and a physician.
“No matter your status, the wrath of the law don’t discriminate between the poor and the rich. This is a lesson for Nigeria!”
