Ekweremadu: Court orders NIMC to supply David Ukpo’s biodata to AGF

A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday, ordered the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to supply the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) with the certified true copy (CTC) of biodata information of David Ukpo for onward transmission to the UK.

Justice Inyang Ekwo gave the order following an omnibus application made by Muazu Mohammed, counsel for NIMC, to the effect.

Others mentioned in the suit are the Comptroller General (C-G), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS); Stanbic-IBTC Bank; United Bank of Africa (UBA) and Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc as 2nd to 5th respondents respectively.

The couple were, on June 23, remanded in the UK police custody, after they were arraigned before the Uxbridge Magistrate Court for alleged conspiracy to facilitate the travel of Ukpo, alleged to be a minor, for organ harvesting.

They, however, denied the allegations and the court adjourned till July 7 for hearing.

Justice Ekwo, on Friday, granted the couple’s prayers by directing all the defendants to release the CTC of Ukpo’s biodata to the Ekweremadus.

But when the matter came up today, Awomolo told the court that NIMC was yet to comply with the court order.
The senior lawyer expressed concern that failure to obey the order of the court would give a setback to court judgment.

Responding, Mohammed said NIMC was reluctant to release Ukpo’s biodata because it wanted to protect its system.

Mohammed said although NIMC had reached 90 per cent compliance with the order, the commission was constraint to release the biodata to the applicants because of the Act which set up the agency.

He said the law does not allow the commission to release an individual biodata to another individual.

In his ruling, Justice Ekwo ordered NIMC to supply the information of biodata of David Ukpo’s national identification number which is in its care to the AGF for onward transmission to the UK.