UK Police Confirm Name of Extradited Nigerian Suspect as Matthew Chukuemeka Adebiyi

The Metropolitan Police in the United Kingdom have confirmed that their official records list the Nigerian man extradited for murder and drug trafficking as Matthew Chukuemeka Adebiyi.

The confirmation came in a direct email response to TheCable on Friday evening. “Hello, Our records show it as Matthew Chukuemeka ADEBIYI. Thanks,” the UK force wrote, putting an end to the controversy sparked by the Nigeria Police Force statement.

NaijaChoice News reports that the NPF had earlier identified the suspect as Matthew Chukwuemeka Adebiyi in its announcement on Thursday. Many Nigerians on X immediately accused the police of ethnic bigotry, claiming the middle name was inserted to link the suspect to the South-East.

The force had announced the successful extradition of Adebiyi to face charges in the UK. Force spokesperson Anthony Placid said the suspect was arrested on January 23, 2025, by INTERPOL operatives in Abuja following a UK request made in September 2024.

Placid explained that Adebiyi fled to Nigeria after he allegedly murdered Joshua Boadu on June 18, 2018. He is also accused of supplying crack cocaine, a Class A drug, in the UK between October 2017 and March 2018.

A Federal High Court in Lagos ordered his extradition in November 2025. NaijaChoice News gathered that Adebiyi was handed over to UK authorities on April 14, 2026, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.

The NPF has since defended its position. Its new media head, Aliyu Giwa, released the bio-data page of the suspect’s UK passport, which includes the name Chukuemeka. The force stressed that the case has nothing to do with ethnicity and described Adebiyi as having mixed heritage, with an Igbo mother and Yoruba father.

The development highlights growing police cooperation between Nigeria and the UK on transnational crimes. Officials say it shows Nigeria’s commitment to ensuring fugitives do not escape justice by crossing borders.

Public reaction on X remains divided, with some users still questioning the timing and presentation of the name. Others have urged Nigerians to focus on the crime rather than tribal angles.