ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – The Apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has appealed to the British government for leniency for former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who is in jail in the United Kingdom prison.
According to Ohanaeze Ndigbo, it accepted the pronouncement of the trial court that approved over ten years jail term for Ekweremadu, over the case of organ harvesting against him, his wife and another.
The Igbo group made the appeal when the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo received the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr. Richard Montgomery at the National Secretariat of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Enugu, on Tuesday.
Speaking during the occasion, Archbishop Emmanuel Chukwuma, said that Ndigbo would be happy if Ekweremadu’s jail term will be reduced.
He said: “There is a very important issue that we have to bring to your attention. You’re aware of the case of Nigeria’s former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu who was convicted and is in jail in your country.
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“He’s from this state and we all know the circumstance he got entangled in that unfortunate incident because he wanted to save his daughter.
“He is already serving a jail term. It’s unfortunate; but it has happened. I testified for him during the trial and in fact, the judge mentioned my name two times while delivering his judgment.
“But we’re using the opportunity of your visit to ask for leniency for him so that he doesn’t spend the number of years in jail. We have accepted the judgment, but are saying if there’s anything that could be done to reduce the jail term.
“He’s from this area and if we don’t bring this thing up as Ohanaeze or from us here, concerning this important son of Igboland, it wouldn’t be nice of us. We are quite overwhelmed”.
Montgomery, while speaking earlier, said he was on tour of the South-East.
The British High Commissioner said that the visit would afford him opportunity to interact on areas of mutual collaboration with the British government.
He said that the British government would continue to advocate for peace in the country, stressing that it was delighted with the efforts by the Igbo in the development of Nigeria.
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In his speech, President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, also made appeal for the setting up of British Visa office in the South-East.
Iwuanyanwu explained that the zone accounts for over sixty per cent of Nigerians traveling to the United Kingdom, stressing that it was unfair that they were subjected to travelling to Abuja and Lagos to procure their Visa.
He recalled the long relationship between Nigeria and British government, and appealed for bilateral collaboration to grow and develop the economy of the South-East region.
The Ohanaeze President identified insecurity that has now culminated to Monday sit at home as part of the challenge threatening the economy of the region.
He however, noted that the new leadership of Ndigbo was working hard to overcome it.
Iwuanyanwu said that the Ohanaeze Ndigbo would soon set up a business council of prominent businessmen and assured that it would like to collaborate with the office of the commission for mutual economic benefits.
He said that the Ohanaeze Ndigbo has placed premium on education and agriculture to engage her teeming youths, in order to reduce laziness in the region.