A Nigerian politician has been charged with allegedly plotting to harvest the organs of a child in the UK.

Ike Ekweremadu, 60, a district senator and lawyer, has been charged alongside a second defendant, Beatrice Nwanneka Ekweremadu, 55, with conspiracy to arrange and/or facilitate travel of another person with a view to exploitation.

They are due to appear at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, the Metropolitan Police said.

The child – whose age is unknown – has been taken into care.

Organ harvesting involves removing parts of the body, often for commercial gain and against the will of the victim.

The politician was recently made a visiting professor at the University of Lincoln.

A spokesman said: “Visiting professors are often, as is in this case, non-resident 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.”