A young Nigerian man has described how he was allegedly deceived by a friend into undergoing a kidney removal procedure in Abuja, claiming that the friend later took control of the money paid for the operation and spent part of it on electronic devices.
The man, identified as Samuel Ezekiel, made the disclosure in Abuja on Friday while the Nigeria Police Force paraded suspects linked to an alleged organ-harvesting network operating across Abuja and Nasarawa State. Ezekiel said he trusted his friend, Emmanuel Udeh, and followed his instructions without initially understanding the full implications of what he was being taken to do.
According to Ezekiel, Udeh first told him they were going to a hospital, a request he agreed to because of the level of trust between them. He said his friend subsequently connected him with another man identified as David, who took him to an agent named Ben for medical examinations connected to the proposed procedure.
Ezekiel said the first medical tests did not produce a match with the person who was initially expected to receive his kidney. He alleged that the agent later informed them that another recipient had been identified and that his kidney was compatible with that person.
The account took another turn when Ezekiel said he was informed that his identity would have to be changed before the procedure. According to him, Ben told him he would no longer be identified by his real name and would instead be presented as “Hassan Abubakar.”
He said documents were subsequently prepared at the Federal High Court in connection with the new identity before he was taken to Wellington Hospital in Life Camp, Abuja. Ezekiel said he and others signed documents at the hospital before he was eventually taken into the theatre.
The young man said money was handed over to them late at night shortly before he underwent the operation. He recalled that the payment was made in United States dollars, although he could not determine the exact amount he received.
Ezekiel explained that because he was about to enter the theatre, he handed the money to Udeh for safekeeping. He said that when he later came out of the theatre, his friend had already exchanged the dollars and used part of the money to purchase electronic items.
According to the victim, Udeh bought two mobile phones, two power banks and two Wi-Fi devices with the money. He alleged that his friend then divided the items between them, giving him one of each while retaining the others.
The two men, Ezekiel said, remained at the hospital for approximately one week following the procedure before they were discharged. He alleged that Udeh subsequently took him to a hotel, where they stayed for another two days.
From the hotel, Ezekiel said, Udeh took him to Cross River State. The pair allegedly remained there for roughly three months before Ezekiel began asking questions about the money he had received for the kidney procedure.
He said his friend told him that the money had already been spent. Ezekiel further alleged that when they later needed money to return to Abuja, Udeh took his phone and sold it to raise transportation money.
The victim also explained why he agreed to undergo the procedure despite knowing that a kidney would be removed. He said Udeh had reassured him that the operation would not create serious problems for him and that he would still be able to carry out his normal activities afterwards.
Ezekiel acknowledged that he ultimately consented to the kidney removal, which he said took place at Wellington Hospital in Life Camp on April 24. However, his account suggests that his consent was given after he had allegedly been reassured by someone he trusted about the consequences of the procedure.
When asked about the payment, Ezekiel said he remembered receiving several $100 notes and a $50 note but could not provide the exact total amount. His inability to state the precise figure meant that the value of the payment remained unclear from his account.
His allegations were made as police continued their investigation into an alleged organ-harvesting syndicate believed to have operated around Abuja and Nasarawa State. The Force on Friday paraded several suspects following a sting operation conducted in the Auta Balefi area of Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
Among those paraded were medical practitioners and individuals police described as alleged recruiters. The suspects included Dr Benjamin Oyime, identified as a nephrologist and consultant to Wellington Hospital, as well as Dr Daniel Otukpa, another nephrologist and the hospital’s Acting Director of Clinical Services.
David Idoko and Emmanuel Udeh were also paraded by the police. The Force identified Udeh as an alleged recruiter and accused members of the suspected network of targeting vulnerable young people for kidney removal.
Police alleged that the suspected operation involved the use of forged documents and false representations to facilitate kidney procedures. Investigators are continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding the alleged recruitment of victims and the roles played by the various suspects.
The allegations have also placed attention on the circumstances surrounding Ezekiel’s identity change before his operation. His claim that he was instructed to assume the name Hassan Abubakar and that an affidavit was prepared at the Federal High Court forms part of the account now being examined by investigators.
The case became widely known after activist Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, disclosed that a young man had approached his non-governmental organisation with medical evidence indicating that his left kidney was missing. The disclosure prompted police authorities to begin investigating the circumstances surrounding the alleged organ removal.
The police subsequently arrested individuals suspected of being connected to the alleged network and brought them before the public during Friday’s parade. The Force said its investigation was still ongoing and that efforts were being made to identify and apprehend other people who may have participated in the alleged operation.
Ezekiel’s account provides investigators with a detailed description of how he says he was introduced to the people involved, taken through medical examinations, given a different identity and eventually subjected to kidney removal. His allegations also raise questions about the handling of the payment he says was made to him and subsequently controlled by his friend.
For now, the claims remain allegations under investigation, while the police work to establish the circumstances surrounding the procedure and determine the responsibilities of those arrested. The authorities have indicated that further suspects could be identified as investigations into the alleged organ-harvesting network continue.
Friend Allegedly Deceived Nigerian Man Into Kidney Removal, Spent Payment on Phones and Gadgets
