Former Vice President and Africa Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has raised concerns over reports of young Nigerians selling their kidneys to cope with the country’s rising cost of living.
Atiku, in a post on X on Thursday, described the reported development as disturbing, blaming the economic policies of President Bola Tinubu’s administration for worsening financial hardship among Nigerians.
He said, “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.”
According to him, young Nigerians should be “selling dreams, ideas and innovation, not their body organs,” adding that such a situation 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 ₦1.7m, although he did not link the figure to any specific report or government agency.
The figure could not be independently verified as of the time of filing this report.
The former Vice President attributed the reported trend to the increasing cost of living under the Tinubu administration, citing rising prices of food, transportation, rent, school fees, medicine and electricity.
He said, “In Tinubu’s Nigeria, almost everything required to live with dignity is becoming more expensive by the day: food, transport, rent, school fees, medicine and electricity.
“Yet young Nigerians are reportedly being driven to sell their kidneys for as little as ₦1.7 million.
“That should break the heart of a nation.
“Young Nigerians should be building careers, starting businesses, raising families and pursuing their dreams, not calculating how much parts of their bodies can fetch simply to stay alive.
“When young Nigerians begin to see their kidneys as emergency savings, we are no longer talking about ordinary economic hardship. We are talking about desperation at its most frightening.”
Atiku acknowledged that Nigerian laws prohibit commercial organ sales and organ trafficking, but argued that legislation alone would not address the poverty and desperation that make vulnerable people susceptible to criminal networks.
He called for economic reforms that would prioritise affordable food, cheaper transportation, accessible healthcare, decent jobs and renewed hope for young Nigerians.
The ADC presidential candidate concluded his statement with a direct criticism of Tinubu, saying, “Tinubu made Nigeria expensive. I will make Nigeria affordable again.”
His comments came amid recent reports and claims of alleged organ trafficking in parts of the country.
The Nigeria Police Force recently paraded four suspects, including two nephrologists, over an alleged organ-trafficking operation.
Police said one of the suspects, Emmanuel Ode, allegedly admitted to recruiting victims and disclosed that a 22-year-old man had been lured to a hospital in Abuja in April, where his kidney was allegedly harvested for $1,250, said to be about ₦1.7m.
Investigators said the alleged syndicate targeted vulnerable and financially desperate young people in Nasarawa State and neighbouring areas.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
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