Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has raised alarm over reports that young Nigerians are being pushed to sell their kidneys for as little as ₦1.7 million, describing the development as a frightening consequence of the country’s cost-of-living crisis.
Atiku, in a statement on Friday, said the situation had reached a point where young Nigerians were being forced to consider extreme measures simply to survive.
“I have heard disturbing stories about the extent to which young Nigerians are being driven simply to survive. Perhaps the most horrifying are the growing reports of young people selling parts of their bodies: kidneys in particular, in desperate attempts to raise money.”
He said young Nigerians should be using their talents and creativity to build better lives rather than being driven into selling their body organs.
“Young people should be selling dreams, ideas and innovation, not their body organs.”
“When the cost-of-living crisis becomes unbearable, desperation begins to make the unthinkable appear like an option. That should offend the conscience of every Nigerian.”
He specifically blamed the rising costs of food, transportation, rent, school fees, medicine and electricity on the economic direction of the Bola Tinubu administration.
“In Tinubu’s Nigeria, almost everything required to live with dignity is becoming more expensive by the day: food, transport, rent, school fees, medicine and electricity.”
The ADC presidential flagbearer said the reported sale of kidneys for ₦1.7 million represented more than ordinary economic hardship.
“Yet young Nigerians are reportedly being driven to sell their kidneys for as little as ₦1.7 million. That should break the heart of a nation.”
He added: “When young Nigerians begin to see their kidneys as emergency savings, we are no longer talking about ordinary economic hardship. We are talking about desperation at its most frightening.”
Atiku noted that Nigeria already has laws prohibiting commercial organ sales and organ trafficking, but argued that enforcement alone would not address the poverty that leaves vulnerable young people exposed to exploitation.
“Laws alone cannot cure the poverty and desperation that make vulnerable young people easy prey for criminal networks.”
He called for economic reforms that would directly improve the living conditions of Nigerians, rather than policies whose benefits are not immediately felt by ordinary citizens.
“Economic reform must have a human face. It must mean affordable food, cheaper transportation, accessible healthcare, decent jobs and renewed hope for the next generation.”
“Our young people should be selling their ideas, talents and innovation to the world and not their kidneys for ₦1.7 million just to survive at home.”
“This is the human cost of Nigeria’s cost-of-living crisis.”
Reports of alleged kidney sales have also emerged alongside a recent police investigation into an alleged organ-harvesting and human-trafficking operation involving four suspects, including two nephrologists.
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