The Nigeria Police Force has paraded four suspects, including two nephrologists, over an alleged organ-harvesting syndicate operating in Nasarawa State.
According to a police briefing reported by Channels Television, the suspects allegedly preyed on vulnerable young men, luring them into kidney donations while paying them only a fraction of the alleged value of the organs.
Police said one victim was allegedly paid $1,250 for his kidney, while another reportedly received N7 million after undergoing the procedure.
Investigators further alleged that the syndicate relied on forged documents, including birth certificates, affidavits, consent letters and identification papers, to facilitate the procedures and conceal the identities of some of the victims.
During the briefing, one alleged victim recounted how he was deceived into donating his kidney, shedding light on how the syndicate reportedly operated.
A representative of Wellington Clinic, where some of the alleged procedures were carried out, also addressed journalists. The representative claimed that the hospital merely provided the facility for the surgeries and was unaware of the alleged criminal activities, including the manipulation of donors’ identities.
The police said investigations are ongoing, with efforts underway to identify and arrest other suspected members of the alleged syndicate.
