In Nigeria, an unacknowledged crisis is escalating, as young persons, especially girls, are being lured into a dangerous underground organ trade.
Snared by promises of money or medical treatment, these teenagers unknowingly have their ovaries harvested and sold.
Often from poor backgrounds, they are targeted by criminals posing as doctors or trusted figures who offer false hope, promising a better life but behind these lies is a horrific market exploiting their fertility. This illegal practice thrives in the shadows of Nigeria’s healthcare system, and although many are unaware, doctors and human rights activists are speaking out.
The trade, which preys on vulnerable girls, is now under scrutiny as more people demand action against the abuse and trafficking of human organs. The exploitation of minors for reproductive materials is a chilling violation of rights that urgently needs attention.
Organ harvesting spree
Organ harvesting involves illegally removing body parts, often for commercial gain, without the victim’s express consent. Under modern slavery laws, a victim cannot consent to exploitation. A recent case highlights this disturbing practice.
In 2022, two teenagers had their ovaries harvested without consent by a doctor at a private hospital (names withheld) in Abeokuta, Ogun State. A lady acted as the intermediary between the doctor and the girls. The case was reported but soon ignored. It was transferred from a police station in Lagos to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, SCIID, in Yaba, where it was abandoned after the investigating officer was transferred.
The teenagers, allegedly convinced by an adult church member, went to the hospital where their organs were harvested and later sold for N100,000 each.
The situation came to light when one of the girls fell ill. Her father, thinking it was malaria, took her to a hospital. Tests revealed severe damage to her private parts and anus. She later disclosed that a female church member trafficked them to Ogun State where their organs were sold.
The girls claimed they were promised money and threatened with death if they told anyone. They were injected with drugs in the said hospital in Abeokuta and forced to undergo a procedure, resulting in severe pain and bleeding. Further medical tests in Lagos revealed extensive damage to their organs, including their liver, uterus, kidneys, and bladder.
Aggrieved father opens up
When contacted, the father of one of the teenagers who claimed to be a bishop, told Vanguard that his daughter’s illness became apparent when her younger siblings noticed she was frequently using the toilet with medical equipment and emerging with blood.
He said the primary suspect, the go-between, stayed with her mother-in-law in the church compound and attended church vigils.
The other teenager, simply identified as Favour, lived with the bishop and worked as his secretary, earning N20,000 a month as salary. His daughter, Precious, a hair stylist, also worked for the go-between, styling her hair for payment.
The bishop, disturbed by the situation, reported the case at Iyana-Ipaja police station, and it was later transferred to the State Criminal Investigations and Intelligence Bureau, SCIID, in Panti, Yaba, Lagos. However, the case took a turn when the bishop’s lawyer, Barrister Ikechukwu Chiaha, suspected compromise on the part of the investigators. The investigator allegedly demanded a bribe of N300,000, with N200,000 going to the police.
Consequently, the case was transferred to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, which has launched a fresh investigation.
In response, the go-between or intermediary, claimed the two girls volunteered to donate their eggs after overhearing a phone conversation between her and the doctor, adding that they were paid N100,000, with Favour giving her N20,000 for the introduction.
State govt intervenes
In June 2023, the Lagos State government, through its Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency, directed the state police command to investigate the case. Unfortunately, there was no result at the end.
Victim narrates ordeal
The victim, Temitope, said she had planned for a better and pious life all along, but almost became a victim of something she thought was just a movie. Temitope, in her early 20s, recalled how she almost fell victim to egg donation without realizing the dangers.
She was introduced to a woman, named Madam Queen, who acted as an intermediary for a fertility centre.
She explained: “My friend told me to come online. We would usually discuss things there. She said she had something important to tell me. At the time, I wasn’t working and was preparing for our school convocation.
“She asked if I still needed money, and I said yes. Then she told me about egg donation. I had no idea what it was, and she said I could join a group that would pay me N150,000, N20,000 for transport, and N50,000 for the donation.
“She told me to go on the first day of my period, and after 10 days, I would get injections. But I started hesitating. I did an online search on it because I was confused. Later, my friend gave me Madam Queen’s contact. We started chatting, and she explained the whole process.
“She said they would inject and give me medication, and that by day 10, my body and ovaries would be ready for donation.
“I was also given an ultimatum. She said I would have to pay N20,000 to proceed, or if I didn’t have the money, she would arrange for a man to sleep with me.
“I jokingly told him I needed money and was considering being an egg donor. He immediately started talking sense into me. He queried: ‘what if, after doing this, you can’t have children in the future? And what if they damage your womb or remove your kidney?’”
Temitope took his advice and decided not to proceed, but the situation didn’t end there:
She continued: “A week later, the woman changed her number but kept texting me, asking when I was coming. I told her I hadn’t seen my period yet, and she kept pushing. Eventually, she blocked me.”
Temitope’s friend also tried to go through with the process but stopped when the travel expenses became too much.
“I don’t know what to make of it. I want to understand egg donation — not because I want to do it, but to know why they target young people like us. If I hadn’t had a dream about it, I might have gone through with it. The dream showed me what could happen, and that’s why I stopped. I want to know more about egg donation. If it’s dangerous, something needs to be done to stop it.”
An attempt was made to contact Madam Queen, but the phone number was no longer in service, and efforts to reach the fertility centre were unsuccessful.
Lawyers weigh in
Legal authorities are beginning to address the issue of organ trafficking in Nigeria, which continues to thrive, despite clear laws prohibiting the practice.
Experts argue that addressing this issue require not only stricter laws but also better education, healthcare, and economic support for vulnerable populations.
Oliver Gift Chukkol, an Abuja-based lawyer, highlights the legal frameworks protecting individuals from organ trafficking and illegal harvesting.
According to Chukkol, key laws include the 1999 Constitution, the Criminal Code Act, the Penal Code Act, and the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act.
These laws provide protection for citizens’ dignity and lives, including minors, and prohibit trafficking for exploitation, including organ removal.
The National Health Act, 2014, specifically governs organ removal. It states that tissue, blood, or body fluids can only be removed from a living person with their informed consent, except in emergencies. The Act also prohibits organ removal from anyone under 18, except for medical purposes, and bans the sale or trade of organs.
Organ removal for transplantation can only occur in authorized hospitals, with written approval from medical practitioners.
Additionally, the Child Rights Act emphasizes that a child’s best interests must be considered in medical procedures, and parental consent is required for organ removal.
The Code of Medical Ethics in Nigeria further provides that when a patient is under-age, unconscious, or mentally impaired, consent from a next-of-kin is necessary. In the absence of a next-of-kin, a senior doctor or court order may be required.
These laws aim to protect vulnerable individuals, especially minors, from organ trafficking and illegal harvesting.
However, enforcement remains a challenge due to corruption and lack of resources.
How Nigerian law classifies, punishes perpetrators
Chukkol said: “The punishment for illegal organ trade or trafficking includes payment of fines of varying amounts, ranging from N250,000 to N5,000,000 and even $100,000. Another punishment is imprisonment or both imprisonment and fine.
“How effective is the law enforcement in Nigeria in tackling illegal organ harvesting, especially in cases involving teenagers? Well, relevant law enforcement agencies that are responsible for tackling criminal activities, including illegal organ harvesting, especially in cases involving teenagers, are the Nigeria Police Force, NPF, and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP.
“These agencies have been doing their best and a number of people, including doctors and medical staff, have been arrested and accused of crimes related to organ harvesting.
“In 2018, people believed to be victims of organ trafficking were found in a mass grave in Anambra State. An investigation by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, revealed a private hospital in Ibadan was engaged in illicit kidney transplants. In 2020, a man was arrested in Lagos State for allegedly luring individuals with promises of employment opportunities, only to abduct and forcibly remove their organs.
“The above instances go to show that the security agencies are trying. This is, however, without prejudice to the realities of Nigerian society that tend to have bad eggs in every organization that compromise the principles of their respective agencies.”
Recent specific cases in Nigeria
“There are quite a number of recent illegal harvesting cases. Sometime in March 2024, NAPTIP arraigned a 51-year-old prominent Abuja–based medical practitioner and three others before a high court of the FCT sitting in Zuba, for an alleged organ (kidney) harvest.
“The matter is still in court. Sometime in 2023, the former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, was convicted in UK, alongside his wife and a doctor for conspiring to harvest the kidney of a young Nigerian in the UK.
“The victim, 21, was said to have been told he could earn up to £7,000 for his family. However, he was allegedly not informed that his kidney would be harvested. The defendants were sentenced to prison terms.
“In August 2023, Dr. Noah Kekere was arrested by the Plateau State Police Command after a businessman, named Kamal, accused him of illegally harvesting his wife’s kidneys and causing her chronic pain for five years.
Kehinde, who was operated on by Noah in 2018, continued to suffer from stomach pains after the surgery.
“In September 2023, a 12-year-old boy, named Adebola Akin-Bright, died after his small intestine reportedly went missing during a corrective surgery at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH.”
International conventions or treaties
“Yes, Nigeria is a signatory to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, UNTOC, and has ratified the three protocols that supplement the UNTOC.
“How does Nigerian law address the issue of parental or guardian consent for medical procedures like organ removal for minors?
“As stated earlier, the Child Rights Act requires the consent of a child to be granted by parents or guardian. This is normally done in writing. The law makes it an offence to remove the organs of a child without the parent’s or guardian’s consent.”
Sec-Gen, IFFS, Prof. Ashiru reacts
Organ harvesting in Nigeria, like in many parts of the world, is a controversial issue fraught with ethical, legal, and medical implications.
While organ transplantation has become a life-saving procedure globally, the illegal trade of organs is a growing concern in Nigeria, where poverty, lack of regulation, and inadequate healthcare infrastructure sometimes drive individuals to exploit the vulnerable for illicit organ trade.
