A Professor of Medicine at Bayero University Kano (BUK) and consultant nephrologist at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), Aliyu Abdu, has raised alarm over the scale of organ trafficking in Nigeria. He disclosed that about 10,000 kidneys are sold globally on the black market every year, with more than 651 trafficked and transplanted illegally in Nigeria between 2015 and 2020.
Speaking at a seminar on National Organ and Tissue Transplantation Standards, organised by the Clarion Call Care Foundation in Abuja, Abdu said many of the victims were either coerced or influenced by poverty to part with their organs.
He explained that organ trafficking thrives in Nigeria due to widespread poverty, inequality, unethical medical practices, weak regulations, and the involvement of unscrupulous medical practitioners who act as facilitators.
According to him, most donors are left without proper medical follow-up or adequate compensation after the procedures, exposing them to long-term health complications, depression, and preventable diseases resulting from unprofessional care.
The professor called for stronger enforcement of medical ethics, tighter regulations, and improved awareness to curb organ trafficking and protect vulnerable populations from exploitation.
