The Muhammadu Buhari-led administration won’t meddle in the legal dispute involving a former deputy senate president, Ike Ekweremadu, according to Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami.
Ekweremadu is being tried in the UK for allegedly conspiring to make it easier for someone else to travel for organ harvesting.
UK authorities charged the former deputy senate president with arranging to have a 21-year-old man’s kidney removed in order to donate it to their ill daughter.
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AGF Malami stated in a press conference on Thursday at the Presidential Villa that Nigeria would only offer legal aid if requested by Ekweremadu.
“And if the request is made, we’ll look at its merits,” he said.
The Minister added, “It has never been the tradition of the Nigerian government to interfere in anything judicial, local or international. And that stands the position of the government.
“On the intervention of Senator Ekweremadu, I have stated in the course of my presentation, that there has been in existence, a mutual legal assistance request and collaboration between Nigeria and other countries across the world. We will address it if there is such a request on the part of the senator.”
Malami recalled a request that was made through his office and sent to the UK’s Crime Agency at Senator Ekweremadu’s request.
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Malami, however, asserted that he was unable to comment on the paper because it was sealed and had only been seen in his office.
“In view of the fact that, the transmission of international documents is a function of a department central authority unit in the Office of the Attorney General and on the request of Senator Ekweremadu, an agency of government was asked to respond to certain inquiries, they did, and under seal, they presented their default which was transmitted to UK accordingly.
“So the implication of what I’m trying to state in essence is we have mutual legal assistance, understanding with the UK, and whichever of the agencies, either the Senator as an accused or suspect indeed the agencies in the UK, make any request for international support we will respond accordingly,” he said.
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