BY Ayodele Oluwafemi
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) says David Ukpo, the “kidney donor” at the centre of the organ harvesting allegation against Ike Ekweremadu, is 21 years old — not 15.
Amos Okpu, the NIS spokesperson, disclosed this in a statement released on Sunday after an interaction with journalists.
Okpu said the birth certificate presented by Ukpo during his international passport registration showed that he is 21 years old.
BACKGROUND
Last Thursday, the former senate president and his wife, Beatrice, were arrested and charged in court for allegedly bringing a child to the UK for organ harvesting.
They were subsequently remanded in custody till July 7 while investigations are still ongoing.
Subsequently, TheCable reported that the former senator had written to the UK high commission to support a visa application of a “donor”.
Although the UK police said the donor was 15, TheCable had reported that Ukpo was listed as 21 years old on his international passport and the Bank Verification Number (BVN) portal.
‘BIRTH CERTIFICATE, NIN SLIP SHOW 21 YEARS OLD’
The immigration spokesperson said the birth certificate issued by the National Population Commission (NPC) and the national identity number (NIN) slip presented by Ukpo indicate that he is 21.
He added that Ukpo’s date of birth was listed as October 12, 2000 — which means he will be 22 years old in October 2022.
“The facts of the matter concerning the case above, therefore, are that the said Mr. David Ukpo Nwamina applied and paid for the enhanced standard passport using the NIS portal after which he approached the Gwagwalada Passport Office, FCT Abuja, on the 2nd November 2021 for his interview,” the statement reads.
“To support his application, Mr. Nwamina presented all the necessary documents required, including his National Population Commission (NPC) issued Birth Certificate, showing 12 October, 2000, as his date of birth; his National Identity Number (NIN) corroborating the date of birth on his birth certificate, issued by NIMC; a letter of introduction issued by Ebonyi State Government Liaison Office situated at Maitama District Abuja, and a Guarantor’s form duly signed by one Mr. Uchechukwu Chukwuma Ogbonno.
“In view of the above, the general public may wish to be informed that the date of birth, or any other information for that matter, on any Nigerian passport is printed on the document only after a thorough vetting process that involves both physical and forensic examination of the applicant’s breeder documents. Mr. Nwamina’s case, therefore, was not different.”
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