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Alleged Organ Harvesting: Court Rules On Ukpo’s Application, Dec 5
A Federal High Court, Abuja, yesterday, fixed December 5, 2022, for ruling on an application filed by the kidney donor, David Ukpo, asking the court to set aside its orders made on July 1 and July 6, which gave former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, and his wife, Beatrice, access to his bio-data.
Justice Inyang Ekwo fixed the date after counsel for parties in the suit adopted their processes and presented their arguments.
Ukpo, through his lawyer, Bamidele Igbinedion, had filed a motion on notice marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/984/202, urging the court to set aside the orders, directing some agencies of government and banks to release his bio-data to Ekweremadu and his wife.
Ukpo, who joined the Ekweremadus as applicants/respondents in the motion, also listed the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) (1st respondent); and four others in the application.
Others mentioned in the motion are the Comptroller General (C-G), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS); Stanbic-IBTC Bank; United Bank for Africa (UBA) and Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc as 2nd to 5th respondents, respectively, but the 5th respondent was later dropped from the charge.
Ukpo, who is currently in the United Kingdom (UK) in connection with the alleged organ harvesting charge against the Ekweremadus, had said that granting the couple’s request violated his fundamental rights to privacy guaranteed by Section 37 of 1999 Constitution (as amended).
But in a counter affidavit deposed to by the immediate younger brother to the ex-deputy Senate president, Bright Ekweremadu, the applicants said Ukpo was not entitled to the reliefs sought as the law does not permit such.
The counter affidavit was dated and filed on September 8 by their counsel, AdegboyegaAwomolo, SAN.
In a 20-point argument, Bright averred that though the court gave its ruling on July 1, Ukpo’s right to fair hearing was not breached.
He said that the documents which were released by the agencies and banks upon the orders of the court had been transmitted to the UK, and had been “tendered at the Uxbridge Magistrate Court, and at the Central Criminal Court in the UK, and have subsequently formed part of the record of the courts.”
At the resumed hearing, yesterday, EyitayoFalogun, SAN, who appeared for the Ekweremadus, adopted his applications, and urged the court to dismiss Ukpo’s request.
He said he was aware that a coalition of civil society organisations under the auspices of the Edo Civil Society Organisation (EDOSCO), initiated the motion on Ukpo’s behalf.
Falogun, who called the attention of the court to Ukpo’s motion, described EDOSCO as “a meddlesome interloper.”
MuazuDikwa, lawyer to NIMC, argued that the orders made by court on July 1 and July 6 were in line with Section 2.11 of the National Data Protection Regulation (NDPR), 2019.
According to him, the regulation says that every transmission of data to a foreign land shall be done under the supervision of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).
He, therefore, prayed the court to dismiss Ukpo’s application.
Lawyers representing other respondents also asked the court to discountenance the motion.
But counsel for Ukpo, BamideleIgbinedion, disagreed with their submission.
He said that contrary to Dikwa’s argument, “Sections 2.2 and 2.3 of the NDPR requires that if anyone applies for another person’s bio-data, one must put the subject person on notice that there is an application for the disclosure of his or her personal information which is held by government.”
Igbinedion argued that there was no authority given to government to disclose personal information of any Nigerian without putting that Nigerian on notice.
He, therefore, contended that the court did not have jurisdiction to have ordered the release of Ukpo’s bio-data to the AGF for onward transmission to the UK in the first instance.
He added that the respondents, including the Ekweremadus, had not shown that the court had the statutory jurisdiction to order the disclosure of private information held by government.
The lawyer prayed the court to grant the reliefs sought and reverse the orders.
Justice Ekwo adjourned the matter until December 5 for ruling.
In an interview shortly after the hearing, Igbinedion told newsmen that public information was covered by the Freedom of Information Act which authorises the court to disclose public information where proper application was made.
“What Ekweremadu sought was not public information but private information of a Nigerian citizen,” he said.
He said if the court “grants their prayers, it means that the information was obtained illegally and the UK court cannot rely on it.”
Igbinedion, who said he had urged the court, in his reply on points of law, to disregard Bright Ekweremadu’s averment, said Ukpo’s documents that were released had not been used in the UK court because trial has not commenced.
“We said in our reply that you don’t rely on oral evidence to tell the court about what happens in another court.
“So, we urge the court to disregard that,” he said.
On June 27, Ekweremadu, who currently represents Enugu West Senatorial District, and his wife, Beatrice, had, in an application dated and filed on June 27, sued NIMC and four others following the criminal charge filed against them in the UK.
They had sought the order of the court directing all the respondents to release to them certified true copies of Ukpo’s bio-data information in their care to enable them present the documents before the UK court and the judge granted the request on July 1.
He directed that the documents should be released to the AGF for onward transmission to the UK.
Besides, Ekwo also made an order on July 6, directing NIMC to release Ukpo’s information to the Ekweremadus in line with the earlier court order.
President Bola Tinubu has ordered a Federal Executive Council committee to move swiftly on measures to further reduce food prices across the country.
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, disclosed this in Abuja, on Wednesday.
According to him, the directive focuses on ensuring safe passage of farm produce across transport routes to cut logistics costs.
“The President has given a matching order with a Federal Executive Council committee already handling it on how we are going to promote safe passage of agricultural foods and commodities across our various routes in the country,” Abdullahi said at a capacity-building workshop for Senate correspondents.
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Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, has faced worsening food insecurity since the removal of fuel subsidy, high transport costs, and insecurity on major highways disrupted the movement of goods.
Despite government interventions, food remains largely unaffordable for millions.
The minister said the plan is tied to Tinubu’s broader vision of food sovereignty—beyond availability to ensure affordability, accessibility, and nutrition on a sustainable basis.
To back this up, he revealed that government is set to roll out a Farmer Soil Health Scheme to boost productivity and a revamped cooperative reform initiative to mobilise resources and empower rural farmers.
“Mr. President has shown tremendous interest in the cooperative sector as a veritable tool for resource mobilisation, for economic activity generation, and to improve the livelihood of members,” Abdullahi added.
The event, with the theme, “Parliamentary Reporting: Issues, Challenges and Responsibilities,” also featured Senate Media Committee Chairman, Senator Yemi Adaramodu; ex-presidential aide, Senator Ita Solomon Enang; and NILDS DG, Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman.
The Federal Government has warned contractors, including foreign firms, that any breach of regulations in road projects awarded to them may lead to arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, issued the warning during an inspection of the ongoing dualisation of the East-West Road (Section IIIA) from Eleme Junction to Onne Port Junction in Rivers State.
The section is being executed by Reynolds Construction Company (Nigeria) Limited.
Responding to questions from journalists, Umahi commended the quality of work on the project but expressed displeasure over the slow pace, stressing that the December completion deadline remains sacrosanct.
On the project, he said:“The quality of the work is excellent, but the pace of work is totally unacceptable. Let me make it very clear to the contractor that this project will neither be reviewed nor varied in price or claims.
“I’m sure we have issued over 10 warning letters to them. If they fail to comply with the completion deadline of December 15, we will not extend it.”
He added that the ministry had already put measures in place to enforce compliance
“The comptroller has negative certificates to issue, and I will recover the money from any of their other projects. All those letters are on record, and when the time comes, they will be invoked. Any contractor who refuses to abide by regulations will have the EFCC and ICPC to contend with,” he said.
Umahi further disclosed that the Federal Government had directed that road projects valued below N20bn would no longer be awarded to expatriate companies, in line with its “Nigeria First” policy aimed at strengthening indigenous capacity in the construction sector.
“This is part of the Nigeria First policy of the Federal Government. Henceforth, no expatriate firm will be awarded any project valued below N20bn. Such projects must go to indigenous companies, while expatriates focus on higher-value projects requiring more technical capacity,” he said.
The minister also noted that the Federal Ministry of Works had adopted a funding prioritisation framework to sustain road projects initially financed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited under the Road Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme.
He stressed that President Bola Tinubu had directed that none of such projects should be abandoned, adding that priority would be given to critical economic corridors.
Umahi also decried the indiscriminate parking of heavy-duty vehicles on highways, saying it was damaging the pavements of completed sections of the road.
He said letters would be sent to state governors and the Inspector-General of Police to enforce punitive measures against defaulters.
Earlier, the Federal Controller of Works in Rivers State, Mrs Enwereama Tarilade, said RCC had completed 15km of the right carriageway and commenced work on the left carriageway, with one kilometre already laid in Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement.
The Rivers State Government says it will ensure the smooth and successful takeoff of the newly established Federal University of Environment and Technology (FUET), in Ogoniland.
This commitment was made yesterday by the Administrator of Rivers State, Retired Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd), during a courtesy visit by the university’s Governing Council and Management team at the Government House, in Port Harcourt.
The high-level delegation was led by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Council, Professor Don Baridam and the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Chinedu Mmom.
In his address, Administrator Ibas warmly congratulated the pioneer council and management on their appointments, describing their task as both a recognition of individual accomplishment and a historic call to duty.
“This is not just a recognition of your personal achievements but also a call to history to shape an institution that will have a profound impact on Rivers State, the Niger Delta, and indeed our country,” he stated.
The Administrator commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the establishment of the specialized university in Ogoniland, describing the initiative as “timely and strategic.”
He emphasized that the university’s presence offers a critical opportunity to drive research, innovation, and community-focused solutions to the region’s pressing environmental and developmental challenges.
He further noted that the university’s core focus aligns perfectly with the priorities of his administration.“We consider this university not merely as another institution of higher learning but as a strategic partner in our collective effort to rebuild Rivers State under the ongoing state of emergency and beyond,” he affirmed.
Responding to specific requests presented by the delegation, Administrator Ibas assured the university of immediate support in critical areas essential for the its commencement.
These include the provision of operational vehicles, key facilities, and the completion of the access road to the campus, adding that other vital needs, such as perimeter fencing, refuse disposal, and the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy, would be addressed within the framework of the state’s broader infrastructure and support programmes.
To ensure swift action, the Administrator directed the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) to work closely with the university’s Governing Council to prioritize the sequence of requests, particularly those tied to the commencement of academic activities in September 2025.
“Let me assure you that Rivers State Government will stand as a dependable partner to the Federal University of Environment and Technology. We see this university as part of our long-term investment in knowledge, innovation, and the future of our youths,” he emphasized.
In his remarks, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Professor Don Baridam, reaffirmed the university’s commitment to academic excellence, innovation, and community development.
He disclosed that the Federal Government has directed the institution to formally commence its academic session in September 2025, adding that preparations are in full swing to ensure a smooth take-off with adequate infrastructure and resources in place.
“Today’s meeting marks the beginning of a strategic partnership between the Rivers State Government and FUET, envisioned to establish the university as a premier hub for research, innovation, and sustainable development in the Niger Delta”, he said.