UK University suspends Ekweremadu as visiting professor

THE University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, has banned Senator Ike Ekweremadu from the recent appointment it gave him as visiting professor of Corporate and International Linkages.

The ban followed the arrest and arraignment of Ekweremadu and his wife, Beatrice, in London for alleged conspiracy to harvest the kidney of Ukpo Nwamini David alleged to be underage.

The university had appointed Ekweremadu as visiting professor  two weeks ago.

“Visiting professors are often, as is in this case, non-residents at the university, unpaid and advisory.

“We are deeply concerned about the nature of these allegations, but as this is an active police investigation, we cannot comment further at this stage.

“Whilst this matter is subject to investigation, this person will not be undertaking any duties as visiting professor at Lincoln,” a spokesperson of the university disclosed in a report.

The Nigerian lawmaker had, soon after the university appointment two weeks ago, celebrated the feat on his Twitter page.

“It was a pleasure and an honour to receive a letter of appointment by the University of Lincoln, UK, as Visiting Professor of Corporate and International Linkages.

“I also got a highly treasured gift – a copy of the Magna Carta. It was created in 1215, about 807 years ago,” he tweeted.

David Nwamini, the boy at the centre of the organ harvesting allegation, is said to have entered the United Kingdom (UK) with an age that has become controversial. While the boy was said to have told the British authorities he was aged 15 years old, screenshots of an international passport believed to be his, which has gone viral on the social media, showed him to be 21 years old.

The London Mail, in a report, claimed Nwamini also did not know that he was taken to London for the purpose of donating his kidney.

“The 15-year-old was given the passport of a 41-year-old in order to get into the UK, but did not know he was there to donate a kidney until he went for a hospital appointment in London,” the Mail quoted Prosecutor Damla Ayas as telling the Uxbridge Magistrates Court.

The prosecutor said the passport was illegally procured.

ICIR