Abubakar Marshal, a lawyer for social media activist VeryDarkMan, has alleged that a young man was paid approximately N1.5 million after his left kidney was unlawfully harvested in Abuja.
Marshal made these claims during a televised interview monitored by Vanguard, stating that the young man received about $1,300, which he estimated to be equivalent to N1.5 million at the time.
According to the lawyer, the case came to the attention of the Martins Vincent Center initiative, led by VeryDarkMan, after the victim approached the organization to report the unauthorized removal of his kidney. Marshal noted that the organization initially requested medical proof to verify the claim.
“The young man came back with a medical report that showed the absence of his left kidney. We were curious ourselves, so we decided to verify the medical document he brought,” Marshal said. “We went to two separate hospitals in Abuja—a reputable private hospital and the Federal Medical Centre in Jabi—where it was confirmed that his left kidney had been removed.”
The lawyer alleged that after the procedure, the victim was given $1,300 “just to take this and shut up.” Furthermore, he claimed the young man’s identity was altered via an affidavit to conceal the transaction. About a month later, the victim allegedly developed serious medical complications, including pus discharging from the surgical site.
Marshal characterized the case as part of a broader pattern of illegal organ harvesting targeting vulnerable youths in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), particularly around the Karu, Nyanya, and Mararaba areas. He alleged that some medical facilities use agents to exploit impoverished young men, luring them into organ “donations” with small financial payouts.
He further claimed that while the victims receive relatively small sums, the kidneys are allegedly sold to recipients for between N50 million and N70 million.
While acknowledging that organ transplantation is not inherently illegal in Nigeria, Marshal emphasized that these cases constitute criminal conduct due to the lack of informed consent, the use of financial inducements, and the failure to follow established legal procedures. He cited the National Health Act and the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act as the relevant legal frameworks.
According to the lawyer, the parents of the affected youths were not involved in or informed about the procedures until complications arose. He called for urgent legal action against the medical facilities and practitioners involved.
Vanguard could not independently verify these allegations, as the lawyer did not identify the specific hospitals or medical practitioners involved in the claims.
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