Ike Ekweremadu, 60, a district senator and lawyer, and his wife, Beatrice Nwanneka Ekweremadu, 55, are accused of bringing a 21-year-old man from Nigeria to the UK.

Prosecutors claim they planned to have his kidney removed so it could be given to their daughter.

They have not entered pleas in court.

The case will be heard by a High Court judge in London in May 2023.

"It has never been the tradition of Nigerian government to interfere on anything judicial, local or international. And that stands the position of the government," Justice Minister Abubakar Malami is quoted by local outlets as saying on Thursday at a media briefing.

He added: "We have mutual legal assistance understanding with the UK, and whichever of the agencies, either the Senator as an accused or suspect or indeed the agencies in the UK, make any request for international support we will respond accordingly."