The Federal Government has opened discussions with the United Kingdom (UK) over the possible transfer of former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who is currently serving a nine-year sentence in a UK prison for organ harvesting.

The Daily Voice understands that a high-powered Nigerian delegation arrived in London on Monday to engage British authorities on the matter.

The delegation included the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, and the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi.

Both officials held a closed-door meeting with senior representatives of the UK Ministry of Justice.

After the meeting, the officials were received by Ambassador Mohammed Maidugu, Acting High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, at the Nigerian High Commission in London.

Diplomatic sources told Daily Trust that the visit is part of President Bola Tinubu’s effort to secure either an early release or a lawful review of Ekweremadu’s sentence based on humanitarian considerations.

Officials familiar with the negotiation confirmed that the Nigerian government is exploring different legal avenues under UK law, including prisoner-transfer agreements, compassionate parole, or more lenient relief options.

We are working on an appeal for a prisoner exchange for him to serve the remainder of his term in Nigeria,” a top Ministry of Foreign Affairs official disclosed.

“Consultations are still ongoing with the UK authorities.”

The Daily Voice reports that Ekweremadu, a long-serving legislator and three-time Deputy President of the Senate, was convicted at the Old Bailey in March 2023 alongside his wife, Beatrice, and a medical doctor, Obinna Obeta.

They were found guilty of conspiring to exploit a young Nigerian, David Nwamini, for the removal of his kidney to treat Ekweremadu’s daughter, Sonia.

The former senator was sentenced to nine years and eight months in a UK correctional facility — the longest sentence ever handed down in the UK for an organ-harvesting-related offence.

The latest diplomatic push signals renewed efforts by the Nigerian government to renegotiate the terms of Ekweremadu’s imprisonment, even as officials tread carefully to respect UK judicial processes.

The Federal Government is expected to update the public as consultations with UK authorities continue.

The Russian Government has said it is keeping a close watch on developments in Nigeria following a recent statement by United States President Donald Trump hinting at possible American military action in the country.

At a press briefing in Moscow on Friday, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said Russia was monitoring the situation and urged all sides to avoid actions that violate global norms.

“We are closely monitoring this issue and call on all parties involved to strictly comply with international legal norms,” Zakharova said in response to a question from Anadolu News Agency.

Naija News reports that Zakharova’s comments come one week after Trump announced that he had instructed the Pentagon to draw up “options for possible military measures” against terrorist groups operating in Nigeria, claiming the move was intended to protect Christian communities.

In his November 1 post on Truth Social, Trump claimed that Christianity in Nigeria faced an “existential threat,” alleging that “thousands of Christians are being killed.”

“Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter. I am hereby designating Nigeria a ‘Country of Particular Concern,’” the U.S. President wrote.

Trump added that the United States “cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening,” insisting that his administration would be “ready, willing, and able to protect our great Christian population around the world.”

He also directed members of Congress, including Congressman Barry Moore, House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole and other Republican allies—to investigate the situation in Nigeria and report back to him.

Naija News reports that the Federal Government had swiftly dismissed Trump’s statements, stressing that Nigeria remains committed to protecting the rights and freedoms of all religious groups.

President Bola Tinubu insisted that Nigeria does not discriminate against any faith and rejected the CPC designation as misleading and politically motivated.

Officials noted that insecurity in the country affects citizens of all religions, and accused foreign commentators of pushing narratives that do not reflect the complex realities on the ground.

Russia’s statement is the latest in a string of global reactions following Trump’s controversial comments and reports that U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) was reviewing contingency plans in line with the directive.

Zakharova urged Washington and its allies to act with “responsibility” and strictly within the boundaries of international law, warning that erratic foreign interventions often worsen tensions rather than resolve them.

The Ogun State command of the Nigeria Police Force has dismantled a notorious Cameroonian syndicate accused of kidnapping unsuspecting victims under the guise of processing international visas.

Command spokesperson, Omolola Odutola, said on Friday (today) that operatives of the anti-kidnapping unit arrested two members of the gang during a sting operation at their hideout in Mowe, along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

She added that the gang leader is currently on the run.

According to Odutola, the crackdown followed a distress call from a Cameroonian woman, Kengne Maeva, who said she was deceived into travelling to Nigeria on September 29, 2025, by a man identified simply as Donald.

Investigations revealed that Donald had promised to facilitate a Canadian visa for Maeva. Instead, she and her 23-year-old sister were held hostage in a two-bedroom apartment in the Pakuro area of Ogun State.

“Shortly after she arrived at Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos, she was received by the supposed ‘agency’ which provided transportation from Lagos to Mowe, Ogun State, where she and her younger sister were held hostage,” Odutola stated.

Maeva reportedly escaped from captivity on November 3 and immediately alerted the police, revealing that several other victims were also being detained.

Naija News understands that her escape prompted a swift police operation that led to the arrest of two suspects identified as Ndzana Kamga Isidore and Tingue Stephen.

According to the police, families of the kidnapped victims in Cameroon had already paid 3.6 million CFA francs into the bank account of the fleeing gang leader.

Odutola said the Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo, has ordered heightened intelligence and surveillance across the state to dismantle similar criminal networks.

She quoted him as directing tactical commanders to work closely with community leaders, especially in remote areas, to immediately report suspicious foreign nationals renting apartments or running unregistered “visa agencies”.

The command assured residents that efforts are underway to apprehend the fleeing ringleader and rescue any remaining victims.