Traditional rulers in Idemili North and South Local Government Areas of Anambra State, Monday, denied media reports that they endorsed the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2023 polls, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
The monarchs, in a statement issued by Chairman of their forum, Igwe Chuma Agbala, and the vice-chairman, Igwe Nick Obi, added that they have no intention of endorsing any candidate for the election because of their position as royal fathers of all.
According to them, the trending media reports was a twisted account of what transpired during their quarterly meetings held at Ogidi, Nnewi North, which was attended by their son and Chairman of United Nigerian Airline, Chief Obiora Okonkwo.
The publication or information circulating in the news media of the purported endorsement of a PDP Presidential candidate is not true. The fact is that the Idemili North and South Traditional Rulers Forum held its quarterly meeting at the Idemili North Local Government Headquarters, Ogidi where Chief Obiora Okonkwo came and said that he was appointed as one of the PDP Anambra State coordinators.
“That was it, and there was nothing like the endorsement of any political party or her flag bearer. We, the traditional Rulers of Idemili North and South, do not indulge in partisan politics and as such would not dump or endorse or move to endorse any political party’s candidate. We are royal fathers and hence are fathers to all,” the statement added.
Traditional Medicine Practitioners in Anambra State in collaboration with Anambra State Traditional Medicine Board members and ex-officials of the Board have raised alarm over alleged extortion of about N200 million from its licensed members by an alleged fake medical practitioner, Daniel Ejie.
They alleged that Daniel Ejie co-formed an illegal agency called Indigenous Medicine and Herbal Practice to extort money from members.
They alleged that Ejie is neither a medical doctor nor a traditional medicine practitioner contrary to his claims but that he operates from the office of former SA on Indigenous Medicine and Herbal Practice to the immediate past governor.
Addressing journalists at a press conference in Awka, at the weekend, Chairman Peace and Conflict Resolution, Anambra State Traditional Medicine practitioners, Abada Benson and Secretary of the association, Chief Patrick Ihionu, alleged that Ejie has collected about N200 million from practitioners without providing account to the government or even to the Traditional Medicine Board.
Abada Benson alleged that Ejie inaugurated a false board of Traditional Medicine which only the governor has the right to inaugurate based on Anambra State Traditional Medicine Board Edict No 2 1994.
According to him, other allegations include issuance of a false ID Card and form without the authority of Anambra State Traditional Medicine Board which is not in line with Anambra State Traditional Medicine Board Edict; establishment of a board without involving the Pharmaceutical Department under the State Ministry of Health which is not in line with Anambra State Traditional Medicine Board Edict”.
He further alleged that Ejie with his team are extorting money from the Traditional Medicine Practitioners, without issuing them receipts and that the money is supposed to be paid into Anambra State Government Account.
He also alleged that Ejie took away the budget head of Traditional Medicine from the State Ministry of Health under the Pharmaceutical Department.
“All the budget money for Traditional Medicine is always embezzled by Mr. Daniel Ejie and his team” He commended Governor Chukwuma Soludo for his good performance in the state especially in the area of security, and promised to work with Anambra State Government through the State Ministry of Health.
“Therefore, we are using this medium to inform our able Governor to call Mr. Daniel Ejie to order and also we want to inform the Governor and the general public that Mr. Daniel Ejie is neither a medical doctor nor a traditional medicine practitioner which he claims to be, …we the Traditional Medicine Practitioners will not work with his false agency, come rain, come sun” he said.
Commenting further, Abada who also is the Chairman, Traditional Medicine Practitioners, Njikoka branch, explained that they collaborate with staff of Anambra State Ministry of Health which issues members with license after registration, lamenting that the Indigenous Medicine and Herbal Practice have now imposed and collect with threat the sum of N11,000 from each member of the Traditional Medicine Practitioners across the state.
“The indigenous medicine and Herbal Practice task force invade our members homes or offices, harass, intimidate and extort money from them. We are aggrieved and that’s why we are protesting. We don’t know this indigenous medicine and Herbal Practice/task force.
We urge the state government to stop this task force disrupting our activities and humanitarian duties to the public”, he noted.
Abada however said they have complained about the development to the state government through the office of Chief of Staff and are expecting the governors’ intervention in the matter.
Secretary of the Association, Chief Patrick Ihionu said further: “We are ready for him and we shall challenge him in the court of law. Moreso, we hereby call on the Inspector General of Police to arrest him for his atrocities against the Traditional Medicine Practitioners.
We call on our able Governor to set up a committee that will investigate Mr. Daniel Ejie concerning the money he extorted from the practitioners and also to investigate budget money they embezzled for years and they used the office of the former SA on Indigenous Medicine and Herbal Practice to the immediate past Governor.
“We ask our Governor to inaugurate Traditional Medicine Board to enable us stop the quacks and to fight those that use Traditional Medicine to commit atrocities in Anambra State”.
However, some members of Traditional Medicine Practitioners, including Paul Obanikolo, from Nimo presented a receipt of N10,000, being ‘membership form’ with heading: Anambra State Indigenous Medicine and Herbal Practice among others.
We made spirited efforts to speak to Daniel Ejie on the issue but his phone number was either switched off or not responding neither did he respond to text messages.
“Indeed, is there any way anyone could look at the Obi candidacy and fault it? If it’s by turn, he comes from a place that has a genuine claim to the presidency. If it is by competence, he is miles ahead of all his co-candidates. And if it’s by transparency, he is a great saint compared to them.” The full piece
What gives the most pain to any individual is when they are not given their deserved respect, when they are treated as though they do not matter, even when they do. In Nigeria, the Igbo Nation has ever since the unfortunate civil war been treated as if it is not part of Nigeria and this is despite the humongous contributions of Ndigbo to the development of the Nigerian Nation.
This is despite the great value Igbos bring to the table. This neglect has happened and happened over time that it is becoming as if it is the tradition in this country. And now, just as the Nigerian Nation gears up for the election of its next president, this age-old disrespect has come up again as some people who think the country belongs to them are once more attempting to usurp what clearly belongs to the Igbo Nation.
But thank God for a certain Peter Obi who is not only proving a true son of his father but more than proving a match to ”them”.
Indeed, any Nigerian who says the next president of Nigeria should not come from the Southeast is either a pretender, if the person is from outside Igbo Land, or a traitor, if from Igbo Land. Yes, power is taken, not pleaded for, but then in Nigeria, one cannot deny the fact that any time it was perceived that it was the turn of the Fulani/Hausa North, they had always produced the president. This is same whenever it had been perceived to be the turn of the Yoruba West.
Need we be reminded what happened after Moshood Abiola was denied the presidency? Wasn’t Olusegun Obasanjo even taken out from the prison to be made president? Before then, wasn’t one Ernest Shonekan from the West made the interim president just to appease the Yoruba Nation for denying them their chance through Abiola?
Even though others from other zones had contested each of those times, everyone knew they were only making up the numbers.
Now, 52 long years after the civil war, the Southeast remains the only major zone denied the chance of producing the president of the country and it has not been because of a lack of quality people from the zone. In fact, if there is a geographic zone in Nigeria where you have top quality, that zone is the Southeast.
Their quality and class can even compare with the very best in the whole wide world. But in Nigeria, these people are being treated like second class citizens but funnily enough, the country is paying for it. How?
The Igbos are some of the most industrious people anywhere in the world. They can thrive under some of the most difficult conditions as everybody saw during the civil war. Despite all sorts of economic blockade, they sustained their war effort for nearly three years.
They manufactured their own war tanks, refined their own oil, manufactured local bombs and built airstrips. After that war, rather than integrate those behind those feats to transfer their skills to Nigeria, they were thrown aside so that the Igbos would not receive any credit. Today the country cannot produce a pin and is reliant on foreign countries for most of their needs. So who fooled who?
Coming to those who have been ruling the country, how well has the country fared under their rulership? I’m talking about the North. In the country’s 62 years of existence the North has ruled for 47 years and in those 47 years only the Northern elite have benefited to the detriment of the masses over there.
Let’s look at these statistics:
In 47 years of Northern rule, the North has the highest number of out of school children; highest number of poverty; highest case of insurgency; highest number of maternal death at child birth; and highest case of infant mortality.
So what has the North got to show to even their people for all the years of staying in the power corridors? Nothing!
Conversely, the zone which was nearly destroyed during the civil war, the Southeast, has the least poverty index, highest number of children in school, lowest rate of maternal death during child birth, and all of the others.
The people from here are also not only found in all parts of the country, they regard those places as their home and invest heavily there. They have proved to be the greatest believers of the One Nigeria mantra. Yet, they are seen as people not fit to produce the president of the country.
That is why now that every fowl and goat in Nigeria knows it is the turn of the Southeast, some of the people who have held the country down are queuing to take the turn of the Southeast. And they may well have gotten away with it without a whimper from the Southeast if not for a certain Peter Obi.
In the beginning, all sorts of people from the Southeast in the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, came out to contest for the presidency but we all saw how it all panned out. They turned out to be more of pretenders than contenders. And it was looking as though the fate of the Southeast was sealed when Obi roared in.
Today, the greatest headache of the oppressors of Nigeria is Peter Obi. Obi has remained several jumps ahead of them, leaving them to play follow up. What Obi is doing today has brought pride to the Igbo Nation.
Indeed, is there any way anyone could look at the Obi candidacy and fault it? If it’s by turn, he comes from a place that has a genuine claim to the presidency. If it is by competence, he is miles ahead of all his co-candidates. And if it’s by transparency, he is a great saint compared to them.
What about knowledge of the economy? That’s his strongest forte. So why wouldn’t anyone support Obi? This represents the last chance for Nigerians who have been at the receiving end of bad leadership to reclaim their country.
Obi is the most popular Nigerian now and that is saying something. They have seen that the Igbos are no pushovers and it’s all because of the man called Peter Obi. We are indeed grateful to him for standing up and fighting like a man. Oburugodu so nkea.
Once Upon a Time, Once Upon a Country, Once upon a Buhari
A time was when Nigeria was a sweet place to live in. Going to the North then was pleasurable as those people were some of the best to relate with and live among. Although later, religion and politics creeped in to cause confusion and enmity between them and the rest of Nigerians, it is only under Buhari that the final cord holding us together was broken. Buhari made Nigerians to mistrust one another and even hate one another, as the case may be. This makes one wonder when and how we lost it, especially after the way we lived before.
For those who may think that the era when we lived cordially and truly as one Nigerians was a farce, I refer them to this compilation below which I found on social media recently. It is quite interesting as it reminds us of the Paradise we lost due to bad and wicked leadership.
In 1950 in a place called Lagos, Olorunimbe was the first Mayor of Lagos with Mazi Mbonu Ojike as his Deputy.
In 1952 a man from Ogwashi Ukwu, by the name of Chief Ekwuiyasi represented Benin West in the Western House of Assembly.
In 1956 there was a country… whose first Mayor in a place called Enugu was a Fulani man by the name of Mallam Umaru Altine. He was not appointed but elected TWICE as Mayor.
In 1957 there was a country which had a City called Kano, one Felix Okonkwo was a special member of the Northern House of Chiefs.
In 1959 there was a country, a country where when its Eastern House of Chiefs was constituted, a man named Mallam Umaru Yushau, the Sarkin Hausawa or Chief of the Hausas in Onitsha, was elected a member of the Eastern House of Chiefs.
In 1961, the people of Aba voted Margaret Ekpo to represent them and Abakaliki voted Chief Eyo Bassey (father of AK APC Publicity Secretary) both non-Igbos into Parliament.
Alh. Ibrahim Abubakar Imam from Maiduguri represented Tiv Land, Gboko, in the House of Representatives.
There was a country which had a place called Port Harcourt. The people of Port Harcourt elected a man called Chief John Umolu (from Etsako in today’s Edo State) to represent its municipality in the Eastern Region House of Assembly.
Before all these, Obafemi Awolowo led the campaign for Ernest Ikoli, an Ijaw man, who defeated Chief Akinsanya in an election in Lagos. Nnamdi Azikiwe led the NCNC to a clean sweep of legislative seats in Lagos.
A Ghanaian barrister called Atta Munu, practicing in Calabar, represented his town of residence in the first legislature in this country elected by universal adult suffrage.
To the young people who have always imagined that Nigeria has always been a jungle where lawlessness and tribalism reign, this was the way it really was and the way we were.
Merit, character and patriotism held sway and the country kept pace with the world.
That was our Great Country, Nigeria before the vultures took over!
Rivers State governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has said that Iyorchia Ayu, the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has refused to resign his position in order to continue overseeing the finances of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Mr Wike and his allies in the PDP have been at the forefront insisting Mr Ayu must step down as a precondition of supporting the party’s candidate, Atiku Abubakar, from ousting the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) during the 2023 general election from power at the center.
The demand began after the emergence of the PDP candidate in May with the embattled chairman allegedly campaigning and using the instrument of the party to favour the former vice president in securing its ticket.
Stating why he is requesting the ousting of the opposition chief, the governor alleged corruption, revealing that the national chairman received various sums of money unknown to the party hierarchy, some of which he has refuted.
At a media parley in Port Harcourt on Sunday, Mr Wike reiterated his request, saying Mr Ayu refused to go so as to continue overseeing the funds of the party.
The governor also said the national chairman lacked the power to stop aspirants of the party as the latter boasted of recently.
“Why does he not want to resign?” the governor queried. “He is hoping that Nigerians will donate money to the party so he will superintendent over that money.
“He has already finished the one of N11 billion from the party’s primaries. Account for it, he says it is in the account. Show the public the account. Print out the statement of account of PDP and let the world see how the N11 billion was expended.
“And this is the party that all of us have laboured to take over power from the ruling party that we said has done badly. And then the national chairman will open his mouth to talk about stopping contestants.
Ayu shouldn’t say so. He tried it in Rivers state. He came to manipulate and try to put some gubernatorial aspirants, but he saw the result. We dealt with him.”
President Muhammadu Buhari is set to jet out to London, the United Kingdom (UK), for a routine medical check-up.
The President is embarking on the foreign trip shortly after presiding over an emergency meeting with security chiefs at the State House, Abuja.
The meeting followed alerts issued by the United States, the UK and some other foreign countries to warn of likely terrorist attacks in Nigeria, particularly in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
According to a tweet by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, Buhari will depart Abuja on Monday, October 31, and is expected back in the country in the second week of November.
The President had canceled the planned inauguration of the new Technology and Innovation Complex of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) to preside over an emergency meeting of the National Security Council.
However, he traveled to Owerri, Imo State capital, to flag off the Conference and Retreat for Senior Police Officers before departing for London on Monday.
The Biafra De Facto Customary Government,after months of electoral process, has elected the second session of Chancellery/Chancery and the Parliament. The first session was led by Alhaji Asari Dokunbo whose tenure ended last July.
A statement signed by Uche Okafor-Mefor, on behalf of the Biafra De Facto Customary Government, disclosed this development on Sunday.
In the statement, the Government of Biafra thanked the Electoral and Transition Committee (ETC), led by Hon Engr. Ike Nwanonenyi,a US -based war Veteran.
“The Government of Biafra wishes all Biafrans well and urges all to remain law-abiding and eschew criminality and lawlessness.
“The Government of Biafra reasserts her commitment to adherence to democratic ethos, the rule of law and justice; and ultimately distinguishes her immense contribution to fundamental human rights and present-day restoration struggle from any action of unnecessary recklessness and abetting of crimes by internal or external individuals, state agencies or groups.
“Long live the People of Biafra! Long live the Government of Biafra!!” the statement concluded
The South East Governors have commented to the case of Nnamdi Kanu as it concerns the recent court rulings.
JOURNALIST101 recalls that that Appeal Court had discharged the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and dismissed the 6 count charges preferred on him by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Dissatisfied with the ruling, the Federal Government approached the Court for a stay of execution while they appealed the ruling of the appellate court.
South East Governors after their meeting on Sunday in Enugu, said they’re monitoring the situation.
“South East Governors are watching with keen interest, the developments with respect to the case of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu viz-a-viz the Court rulings. However, we believe that a political solution is still possible in this circumstance.”
In the communique issued at the end of the meeting held at Government House, Enugu, the Governors also dismissed media reports that they’re responsible for the creation of ESN, stressing that they only created Ebubeagu and Forest Guards.
Ebonyi State Governor/Chairman of Southeast Governors’ Forum, Engr. David Umahi who read the communique “decried the state of insecurity in the region. Our economic activities have come to a halt while kidnapping and wanton killing have become the order of the day.
“South East Governors call on the Federal Government to come to our aid in providing security in the Zone bearing in mind that elections are around the corner.
“Meanwhile, South East Governors have agreed to set up a 24-hour Joint Patrol in all major highways within the South East, especially during the Christmas season.”
On the issue of flooding ravaging the country, including many states in the region, the Governors commended the States and the Federal Government on “efforts to alleviate the sufferings of the victims of the recent flood menace in the Country. We hope, however, that long term solution is desirable.”
Umahi disclosed that the “South East Governors have decided to put funds together to further assist the victims of flooding in our five States in the South East. We, also plead with the Federal Government to please initiate action in the dredging of rivers in the South East, to ameliorate the destruction of houses, farmlands and properties. We request the Federal Government to come to the aid of the victims in terms of rehabilitation of the internally displaced persons.”
The forum also “congratulated and welcomed His Excellency, the Governor of Anambra State, His Excellency, Prof. Charles Soludo, who was represented by His Deputy, His Excellency, Dr. Onyekachukwu G. Ibezim.
The governors were however, silent on the 2023 presidential election especially, the issue of Peter Obi who’s one of the leading presidential candidates.
Also present at the meeting were; Enugu State Governor, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State and Imo state, Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma who was by his deputy; Prof. Placid Njoku.
The youths of Agunese, Affam-Mmaku Autonomous Community in Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State have beaten a woman to pulp and stripped her naked for picking snails around a ‘sacred shrine’ in the community.
According to the youths, what the woman did was an abomination in the community and as such, she doesn’t deserve to be in their midst.
The misguided youths there actions can best be described as barbaric sent the middle-aged woman out of the community with palm fronds tied around her body.
Reacting to the disgusting development, about 10 pro-women organisations and leaders in Enugu State condemned the act and called on security agents to arrest the perpetrators of the crime.
The group in a statement, said the people involved should be made to apologise to the woman and the women fold in general.
The statement reads:
“In a society bedevilled with life hurting circumstances, it’s becomes even more nauseating and nostalgic to not just perceive perverts that call themselves village abiding but to strip a woman of her pride which is her covering for a mere piece of Snails, naturals snails, God-given snails, it hurts further to know that these snails are not lab-manufactured or already offered to the God’s But termed sacred on the basis of archaic laws, Oh my!! A 21st century amazement!! A living day light unbelievable!!.
We raise our voices in the loudest to condemn this impunity, this shame called protecting a supposed sacred site. We outrightly lend our voices and actions to declare to the world that this is totally unacceptable. This act is wild and desperately annoying. How do we preserve this woman’s nudity after parading her nakedness to the world. The swiftness and virality of the social media is not one to be joked with as we can shamefully agree that half of the world must have seen this by now .
“We condemn every part of this and say that the culprits must be brought to book. They must apologize to women folk nationwide and pay a huge sum to this woman after packing bags of snails to plead with her.
“As we write this, we wish it never took place, how much longer will the women continue to be a societal ridicule and thrash. This is totally unacceptable and both devastating at the same time . We condemn every spot of chauvinistic decision taken on this woman. Would they have done this to a man ? Yes!! Maybe if he was caught as a high-way thief or a killer absolutely not for picking snails.
God have mercy on the future of women in our society . No single man said hold on, not even one. It’s totally regrettable and no amount of plea can cover our minds eye from remembering her nakedness.
“We condemn this with all of our hearts as women , human rights activist, organizations for women and all humans
Signed by
1. Amb. Onyii mamah
Executive Director/President
Heroine women foundation and president women support women
2.Amb. Mrs Amaka Nweke JPCountry Director/Executive Director
Global Society for Anti-Corruption and Amaka Nweke Foundation3. Mrs Ndidiamaka Ikeobi
Coordinator
Anambra Women General Assembly Enugu State Chapter
4. Hon Peace Patrick-Nnaji
5. Obiegue margaret ify
Enugu coordinator: sexual and Gender based violence justice Network (SJN).
6. Comrade Ngozi Ngene, Chairperson, Nigeria Association of Women Journalists NAWOJ, Enugu state.
7. Agunechibe Promise Ogechukwu.
CEO, The Total LIFE Mining Consult
Founder , QUINTESSYP Global foundation for female Prisoners.
8. Comrade Anita Adaeze Isamade
Executive Director Ada Oji Initiative and Deputy Chairperson National Youth Council of Nigeria Enugu State (NYCN)
9. Cecilia Ngozi Onyia: Chairperson, International Federation of Women Lawyers(FIDA) NIGERIA, Enugu State Branch.
10. Ngozi Ajogwu J.
Secretary International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Nigeria, Enugu Branch.
Nigeria loses at least 700,000 barrels of crude oil to thieves daily, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, said in Effurun, Delta State on Saturday.
He made the assertion at the 2022 graduation of students of the Petroleum Training Institute.
The minister who was represented by Ambassador Gabriel Aduda, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, said the Federal Government was making concerted efforts to curtail the menace.
He said crude oil theft had impacted negatively on the nation’s foreign exchange inflow.
“Oil theft has denied the country of an estimated 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day. The adverse effect of this is the drop in the production of crude oil and decline in the national income,’’ he said.
He said the petroleum ministry would synergise with the National Assembly to ensure that adequate attention was given to the amendment of the PTI Act.
Sylva said that the institute could achieve more if the PTI Act was amended to enable the institute to have access to more funding.
He said the ministry had given PTI mandates in different areas of research into the use of local materials in crude oil production, stoppage of gas flaring and the commercialisation of gas, among others.
The minister advised the institute to embrace contemporary ways and methods to deliver on its mandates following global rapid changes in technology.
Sylva also advised the institute to liaise with relevant parastatal agencies of government and local and international oil companies for the continued upgrade of relevant training curricula.
Sylva congratulated the graduates and assured them that there were opportunities in the oil and gas industry.
“The skills you acquired will be pivotal in actualising the ever-evolving goals in the oil and gas industry.
“I am saying this confidently because the world still relies largely on hydrocarbons,’’ he said.
Earlier, Dr Henry Adimula, the Principal and Chief Executive Officer of PTI said 1,156 graduates would receive diplomas and certificates for the 2022/2021 academic session.
Out of this figure, 659 will be awarded National Diploma and 501 will be awarded Higher National Diploma, while six graduates will receive the PTI General Welding Certificates.
“I am delighted to inform you that out of these number, 112 students graduated with distinction while 380 graduated with upper credits,’’ he said.
Adimula said PTI’s vision and mission, anchored on competence and capacity, had distinguished it as a Centre of Excellence for human capacity development in the oil and gas industry in Nigeria and beyond.
He appealed to the National Assembly and major stakeholders in the oil and gas sector to support the amendment of the PTI Act.
According to him, the amendment will enable the oil and gas institute to perform its duties effectively in line with a global trend.
The principal said a major challenge confronting the institute was the cost of funding the training of its personnel locally and internationally.
“The infrastructure of the institute is presently overstretched and needs refurbishment, innovation and complete replacement of others,’’ he stressed.
Adimula congratulated the graduates and assured them that their training had prepared them for available opportunities in the oil and gas and allied industries and also in renewable new and cleaner sources of energy.
One of the graduates, Miss Hope Oseh thanked God for the successful completion of her National Diploma programme.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the ceremony was part of activities lined up to mark the 50th anniversary of the PTI.
A highlight of the event was the presentation of awards to distinguished individuals including the Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom, Dr Emmanuel Sideso Abe.
Former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu may remain in prison till May 2023 as court as adjourned its case till next year.
Senator Ekweremadu and his wife were arrested in the United Kingdom for alleged organ harvesting.
The couple were arrested at Heathrow Airport on June 21 after arriving on a flight from Turkey.
Ike Ekweremadu and Obinna Obeta, from Southwark, south London, are charged with conspiring to arrange or facilitate the travel of a man with a view to him being exploited.
Mrs Ekweremadu and Obeta are charged with arranging the travel of the man with a view to him being exploited.
Prosecutor Tim Probert-Wood said previously that the case involved “exploitation and the harvesting of an organ.”
He said: “The case began on 5 May 2022 when the complainant presented himself at Staines Police Station and claimed he had been transported to this country for the purpose of his kidney being removed.
“He arrived on 20th February 2022 and was taken to Royal Free Hospital where tests were conducted.
For the purpose he was there he did not consent to the taking of his kidney.
“He returned to the house he was staying and his treatment changed dramatically.
“He described being treated effectively as a slave.”
Martin Hicks, QC, defending Ike, has said: ‘We deny that there was any exploitation or any intent to do so.
