Atiku raises alarm over reports of young Nigerians selling their kidneys

• Former vice-president links alleged organ sales to economic hardship but provides no independent evidence for ₦1.7m figure

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has raised concerns over reports of young Nigerians allegedly selling their kidneys to survive, linking the claims to the country’s worsening cost-of-living pressures.

Atiku, the presidential candidate of the Africa Democratic Congress, made the comments in a post on X on Thursday, saying he had heard “disturbing stories” about young Nigerians allegedly resorting to selling body organs in desperate attempts to raise money.

“I have heard disturbing stories about the extent to which young Nigerians are being driven simply to survive. Perhaps the most horrifying are the growing reports of young people selling parts of their bodies: kidneys in particular, in desperate attempts to raise money,” Atiku wrote.

He said young Nigerians should be “selling dreams, ideas and innovation, not their body organs”, describing the reported trend as something that should “offend the conscience of every Nigerian”.

Atiku claimed that some young Nigerians were reportedly being driven to sell their kidneys for as little as ₦1.7 million. The figure was not attributed to a specific report or government agency in his statement.

PUNCH, which reported the remarks, said it could not independently verify the figure at the time of publication.

Atiku attributed the alleged development to rising living costs, citing food, transport, rent, school fees, medicine and electricity as increasingly unaffordable for many Nigerians.

He said the reported sale of kidneys represented a level of desperation beyond ordinary economic hardship and called for economic reforms focused on affordable food, lower transport costs, accessible healthcare, decent employment and improved prospects for young Nigerians.

“Tinubu made Nigeria expensive. I will make Nigeria affordable again,” Atiku said.

Nigeria already prohibits commercial organ sales and organ trafficking under its laws. Atiku argued, however, that legislation alone would not address the economic vulnerability that could expose people to criminal networks.

His comments come amid recent reports and claims concerning alleged organ trafficking in parts of Nigeria.

The Nigeria Police Force recently paraded four suspects, including two nephrologists, over an alleged organ-trafficking operation.

According to the police, one of the suspects, Emmanuel Ode, allegedly admitted to recruiting victims and told investigators that a 22-year-old man had been lured to a hospital in Abuja in April, where his kidney was allegedly removed in exchange for $1,250, equivalent to about ₦1.7 million.

Police investigators said the alleged syndicate targeted vulnerable and financially desperate young people in Nasarawa and neighbouring areas.

The police allegations and the figure cited by Atiku are separate matters, and Atiku did not identify the police investigation as the source of his ₦1.7 million claim.