On a Trafficking

A recent report claimed that 10,000 kidneys were sold in the black market globally every year. In the same report, it was disclosed that about 651 kidneys worth over $41billion were trafficked and transplanted illegally in Nigeria between 2015 and 2020. We consider this report both disconcerting and worrisome.

A Professor of Medicine at the Bayero University, Kano (BUK) Aliyu Abdu, said while reacting to this disclosure that unfortunately, some of the donors are either coerced or forced, while some are driven and influenced by poverty.

Andy who is also a consultant physician and nephrologist at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano (AKTH), was speaking at a seminar on National Organ and Tissue Transplantation Standards. The event was organised by Clarion Call Care Foundation, in partnership with the National Tertiary Health Institutions Standards Committee of Nigeria,

The professor also said that victims are mostly impoverished people who are easily influenced by financial incentives and ignorant of the possible risks involved.

And just few days ago, the Nasarawa State Police Command arrested a 40-year-old man, Maro Ebojoh, for his alleged involvement in organ harvesting in the state.

The state Commissioner of Police, Shetima Mohammed, during a press briefing, said the suspect lured his victims with a promise of N2,000,000 payment upon completion of the procedure.

Ebojoh belongs to an organised network of illegal brokers and agents who supply organs from victims to recipients.

The Police warned members of the public to remain vigilant and cautious, particularly against individuals who disguise themselves as genuine organ donor solicitors but are, in fact, involved in organ harvesting for financial gain.

Sadly, the staggering figure underscores the silent but rising crisis of the black market sale of human parts in the country.

The kidney business involves the criminal underworld through an organised network ranging from those who work as ‘organ hunters’ to those who work full-time in the medical industry, including physicians, nurses, anaesthetists, ambulance drivers, travel agents and insurance agents.

Emerging reports and investigation indicate a significant and direct link between ritual killings and organ harvesting in Nigeria, with evidence suggesting that many victims of ritual murders have their body parts harvested and sold on the black market.

To compound this ugly situation, there are unconfirmed reports of cases where patients or their families allege that organs went missing after treatment and surgeries in both public and private hospitals. A case in point is that of a boy whose intestine was alleged to have vanished after surgeries at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Lagos state.

Another distressing incident involved a woman from Jos who lamented that one of her kidneys was removed without her consent.

A recent report highlighted a suburb in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mararaba, where quite a number of the young population have donated their kidneys, and most of them were done illegally.
Victims are mostly impoverished people who are easily influenced by financial incentives and ignorant of the possible risks involved.

Experts posit that a global demand for human organs and a shortage of legal donors fuel a black market.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO) defines organ trafficking as the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of living or deceased persons or their organs by means of threat, use of force or other means of coercion or deception for organ removal or transplantation.

Kidneys are the most commonly illegally harvested organs due to their high demand and survival rate with an estimated 10,000 kidneys sold every year and one every hour.

Less attractive is harvesting of the liver for transplantation – a life-saving procedure for those with liver failure or other liver-related diseases. Hearts are highly sought after for transplantation due to their vital role in the cardiovascular system, and lung transplantation is complex and rare for individuals with end-stage lung diseases.

In our view, organ harvesting is a silent, raging menace that if not carefully handled, can lead to devastating consequences for the nation.

The arrest and conviction of Senator Ike Ekweremadu by a UK court for human organ trafficking serve as a stark indication of the magnitude of the issue.

The President of the Nigerian Association of Nephrology and the Transplant Association of Nigeria, Prof Jacob Awobusiyi, said that the trade in human organs is tarnishing the country’s reputation in the international community.

According to him, organ trafficking flourishes in Nigeria for a variety of reasons; including poverty, inequality, unethical medical practices, and lack of regulation and enforcement of medical ethics and unconscionable medical practitioners as facilitators.

We know that lack of an alternative source of organs, such as cadaveric donations, and the presence of organ banks are also responsible for the thriving of the business.

Unfortunately, this newspaper recognises the absence and lacuna in the country’s law to check this illegal trade in human parts due to the fact that the law in place is weak in itself.

In Nigeria, organ donation and transplantation are primarily governed by the National Health Act of 2014, which prohibits the commercialisation of human organs but does not require informed consent from the donor for the removal of his tissue.

There have been clarion calls for the amendment of this law but it’s been like an uphill task and a case scenario of flogging a dead horse.

But the government cannot continue to play the ostrich by not tackling the matter headlong.

In our opinion, Nigeria can end organ trafficking by strengthening legal frameworks, increasing public awareness, and enhancing law enforcement.
Implementing harsh penalties for traffickers and establishing strict regulations for organ donation can deter illegal activities.

If the UK government could prosecute and jail a serving senator, it shows that no ox should be gored in addressing this menace.

Also essential is public education campaigns to inform citizens about the risks and ethical issues surrounding organ trafficking.

Moreover, international cooperation and robust healthcare systems are crucial to track and prevent illegal organ trade.

These combined efforts can help Nigeria eliminate organ trafficking and protect vulnerable sections of the population.