A leading nephrologist at Bayero University, Kano and consultant at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Prof. Aliyu Abdu, has raised alarm over the scale of illegal organ trafficking in Nigeria, disclosing that at least 651 kidneys were harvested and transplanted unlawfully in the country recently.
Speaking at a seminar on National Organ and Tissue Transplantation Standards in Abuja, Abdu revealed that the kidneys, if priced on the international black market, were worth over $41 billion. He said the trade is part of a wider global syndicate, with about 10,000 kidneys trafficked annually worldwide.
According to him, despite the existence of the National Health Act of 2014, which criminalises commercial organ sales and mandates informed donor consent, weak enforcement and regulatory lapses have fuelled the illicit practice. Poverty and desperation, he added, make many victims an easy prey, as they are lured with money without awareness of the long-term health risks.
“Most victims are left without proper medical care after the surgery, facing life-long complications and psychological trauma”, Abdu warned.
He further explained that the illegal trade is run by well-organised criminal syndicates often involving recruiters, medical personnel, drivers, travel agents and even insurers who collaborate to facilitate the operations.
The nephrologist also noted that the absence of cadaveric kidney donations and lack of functional organ banks in Nigeria have worsened the situation, forcing many patients in need of transplants to resort to unlawful alternatives.
Abdu called for urgent reforms, stricter enforcement of existing laws and the establishment of organ banks to curb the growing menace of organ trafficking in Nigeria.
