Police say ethnicity not a factor in UK murder suspect’s extradition
The Nigeria Police Force has rejected claims that the extradition of Matthew Chukwuemeka Adebiyi to the United Kingdom was influenced by tribal considerations. According to police spokesperson Aliyu Giwa, the case is about justice and criminal accountability, not ethnicity. The police clarified that Adebiyi is of mixed heritage and that neither the crime nor the extradition process involved tribal motives. The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, emphasized the Force’s dedication to international law enforcement cooperation.
What we know
- Matthew Chukwuemeka Adebiyi was extradited on April 14, 2026, after being a fugitive in Nigeria for nearly eight years following the June 2018 murder of Joshua Boadu in the UK.
- He faces charges of murder and supplying crack cocaine between October 2017 and March 2018.
- UK authorities submitted a formal extradition request in September 2024 to INTERPOL National Central Bureau Abuja.
- Adebiyi was arrested on January 23, 2025, and extradition proceedings were filed at the Federal High Court in Lagos.
- On February 16, 2026, Justice A. O. Faji approved the extradition, and Adebiyi was handed over to UK law enforcement at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
