The mother of 22-year-old Samuel Ezekiel says she only discovered that her son’s kidney had allegedly been removed after receiving a phone call from someone who had heard about the incident.
Ezekiel’s kidney was allegedly removed at Wellington Hospital, Life Camp, Abuja, on April 24, 2026, after his friend, Emmanuel Ode, allegedly lured him to the facility under false pretences.
The allegation is now part of a wider Nigeria Police Force investigation into an alleged organ-harvesting and human-trafficking syndicate operating around Abuja and Nasarawa State.
The police have arrested and paraded four suspects in connection with the investigation: Ode, 23; Dr Benjamin Oyime, 48, a nephrologist and consultant to Wellington Hospital; Dr Daniel Otukpa, 53, also a nephrologist and the hospital’s Acting Director of Clinical Services; and David Idoko, 25.
The suspects were arrested during a Special Tactical Squad sting operation at Auta Balefi, Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, on August 19.
The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, said Ode allegedly confessed during interrogation to recruiting victims under false pretences.
The police alleged that Ode lured Ezekiel to Wellington Hospital, where the victim’s kidney was allegedly harvested for $1,250, which the Force valued at about N1.7m.
Ezekiel, speaking to journalists, alleged that Ode told him that removing one kidney would not prevent him from living normally.
He also alleged that his identity was changed to “Hassan Abubakar” during the process, while documents were allegedly prepared to facilitate the procedure.
His mother, however, said she knew nothing about the hospital visit.
“I was in the shop one day, and someone called me to say they heard that my son’s kidney had been removed,” she said.
She said she immediately contacted another of her sons, who initially had no information about Ezekiel’s whereabouts. She later learnt that Ode had taken him to a hospital and reported the matter to the police.
The woman said Ezekiel did not return home with the money allegedly paid for the procedure.
“No, no, no,” she replied when asked whether her son brought any money home.
Ezekiel had earlier alleged that he handed the dollars he received to Ode for safekeeping. He said his friend later changed the money and used part of it to purchase phones, power banks and Wi-Fi devices, giving him one of each item.
The victim also alleged that he remained in the hospital for about a week after the operation before being discharged.
He said Ode subsequently took him to a hotel and later to Cross River State, where they stayed for almost three months.
His mother said she had not immediately realised that something was wrong because Ezekiel had previously left her home in Nyanya, Abuja, to stay with his father in Ota, Ogun State, where he was learning computer-related skills.
She said the family had been unable to afford further formal education after he completed secondary school and had instead arranged vocational training for him.
The mother also described her concern over her son’s condition after the alleged operation.
She said police officers later instructed her to take him back to the hospital because he was still walking around with surgical stitches.
“When it started producing pus, they said he should go back and have the stitches removed,” she said.
The police said their investigation uncovered allegations that vulnerable and financially desperate young people were being targeted.
Investigators also alleged that documents including names, National Identification Numbers, birth certificates, affidavits and consent letters were forged to facilitate the procedures.
The case emerged publicly after social media activist Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, brought attention to a young man who reportedly presented medical evidence showing that his left kidney was missing.
His lawyer, Marshall Abubakar, has since alleged that more than 10 young people may have been affected, although those broader claims remain allegations under investigation.
The FCT Police Command has separately cautioned the public against viral claims that large numbers of youths in Nyanya, Mararaba and surrounding communities had sold their kidneys, saying it had neither received nor confirmed such reports.
The Nigeria Police Force said investigations are continuing, with efforts underway to identify and arrest other suspects allegedly connected to the network.
