A young Nigerian, Samuel Ezekiel, has recounted how he was allegedly deceived by a friend into undergoing kidney removal in Abuja, claiming that his identity was changed before the procedure and that the money paid to him was later spent on electronic gadgets.
Ezekiel made the allegation on Friday while speaking to journalists during the parade of suspects linked to an alleged organ-harvesting syndicate by the Nigeria Police Force in Abuja.
According to him, his friend, Emmanuel Udeh, initially told him they were going to a hospital for reasons he did not fully understand. Ezekiel said he trusted Udeh and followed his instructions without suspecting that he would be involved in a kidney donation procedure.
He alleged that Udeh later connected him with another man identified as David, who took him to an agent known as Ben for medical tests.
Ezekiel said the first test did not match the intended recipient, but the agent subsequently informed him that another recipient had been found and that his kidney was a match.
It was at this stage, he alleged, that he was told his identity would be changed.
“He now said that they are going to change my name, that I will be bearing Hassan Abubakar,” Ezekiel recounted.
He said an affidavit was subsequently prepared at the Federal High Court before he was taken to Wellington Hospital in Life Camp, Abuja.
According to the victim, he signed documents at the hospital before being taken into the theatre for the operation.
Ezekiel further alleged that payment was made shortly before he entered the theatre, at about 10pm or 11pm. He said the money was handed to him in dollars but that he later gave it to his friend, whom he accused of changing the money and using part of the proceeds to purchase phones, power banks and Wi-Fi devices.
The allegations form part of a wider investigation into an alleged organ-harvesting network operating in Abuja and neighbouring areas.
The Nigeria Police Force has been investigating the activities of individuals suspected of recruiting vulnerable people for kidney procedures under questionable circumstances.
Ezekiel’s account has added another disturbing dimension to the investigation, particularly concerning allegations that victims may have been misled about the nature of procedures they were being taken to undergo.
Authorities are expected to establish the full circumstances surrounding Ezekiel’s case, including the roles allegedly played by the individuals he identified, the medical facility involved and any financial transactions connected to the procedure.
The allegations remain subject to investigation, and those accused are presumed innocent unless proven guilty by a court of law.
