Despite threats to their lives and cautions by relevant authorities, the illicit organ harvesting, kidney, to be precise trade still thrives in Abuja suburbs. Juliet Jacob who visited Mararaba, reports.
Mararaba Hub of Kidney Harvesting
As the rising sun brings a bright morning to Mararaba, a satellite town that stretches alongside the Keffi-Abuja dual carriageway to the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria, a bustling community, the streets glow with the deafening buzz of road vendors. Of course, with cars and commercial motor bikes supplying a variety of recipes of chaos, meanness and madness. This is the regular scene in Mararaba.
Poverty Driving Youths to Sell Kidneys
Among its lots of residents, many of whom from terrible economies, Mararaba is home for them. Here, also, youth population nears explosion. Many young people who have migrated from the countryside to get away from the clutches of poverty are seen in desperate moves for quick money. To them, the illicit kidney harvest enterprise beckons.
Secret Black Market Unmasked
Recently, the secret trade of human kidney and body parts was unmasked. Investigations show the unlawful kidney enterprise in the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria is a huge market where millions of naira are traded in the black market.
Return of Organ Harvesting
A resident, Mr. Pius, who lives in Tudun Wada along the Keffi-Abuja road in Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, Karu L.G.A, Nassarrawa State, disclosed to African Health Report (AHR) that unlawful kidney transplant activities are taking place in the community. This hassle has been ongoing for a while and has escalated lately due to the monetary challenges in the country.
He mentioned that he believes it would be greater moral to promote his kidney as an alternative than motel to violence or crime to fulfill his needs. He is willing to take delivery of any penalties that can also come from this decision. Many younger human beings are thinking about selling their kidneys as a way to avoid turning to robbery or enticing in crook activities.
“I know someone in our neighborhood who shared with me that he has been struggling to fund his commercial enterprise for over three years. He mentioned that he is thinking about selling his kidney to finance his business and aid his siblings. According to him, it is viewed as a manageable option. The hospitals in the vicinity have representatives who come to the community to deceive younger people. They promise to habits checks and if their kidney is a healthy and they are healthy, the health center will compensate them. These marketers get hold of a cut of the charge and entice folks with guarantees of exact care abroad and a sum of money, typically round three to 5 million, depending on negotiations. They even declare that the system has no negative side effects.
Mr Pius stated that he would willingly supply his kidney to a household member in need, such as his son or wife. He expressed concerns about young boys selling their kidneys for quick money, only to waste it on extravagant lifestyles. “This conduct can negatively affect their well-being and lead to suicidal thoughts when the cash runs out”. He highlighted the exploitation with the aid of marketers who take benefit of inclined humans by imparting them large sums of money for their kidneys, solely to pay them a fraction of the amount obtained from the hospital.
Investigation
This investigation revealed that kidney trade is returning in the area. A cell kidney marketers are planted in communities to direct young guys from bad financial backgrounds to points where they can sell off their kidneys.
Today, Mararaba in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State is a thriving neighborhood with many descendants promoting the entirety inclusive of human kidneys on the street.
It was here in Tudun Wada, Mararaba District that Aminu Yahuza contemplated suicide in June 2023.
Aminu is a 25- year old unemployed Nigerian with many economic problems. To alleviate his problems, he contacted his 23-year-old cousin Abbas Yusuf to connect him with a kidney agent.
After promoting his kidney to a South African girl patient in June 2022, Mararaba resident Abbas quickly referred to as his agent Abdulrahman to let him understand there was a new “donor” on the ready list. Aminu was quickly asked for a blood sample and a few days later his kidney used to be accumulated from a private medical institution in Abuja and transplanted into a waiting patient. After paying N1 million for his kidney, Aminu used to be a comfortable man until two of his friends cheated him out of half of the money. ” misplaced my kidney, I have no money, no work, no more electricity to work,” simply thought I have to get over it,” she stated of her preceding suicidal thoughts.
Aminu Abbas’ cousin sold his kidney for N1.2 million, the best possible charge every person his age has ever paid for a kidney. He lured through two of his friends, Abdulrahman and Habib; two brothers who sold the same kidney. But beyond that, the two brothers are part of an unknown group of neighborhood kidney dealers recruited through a Lagos-based kidney broker. Their mission was to target and attract younger boys and young guys from terrible economic backgrounds to sell their kidneys.
In August 2023, the Alliance Hospital was accused of harvesting kidneys from three minors and it was revealed that Oluwatobi Adedoyin, a 16-year-old son of a mechanic from Masaka in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, pleased his friend Keltainen to sell his kidney. Oluwatobi was paid N1 million in three installments after which he fled Abuja.
Since then, dealers and a chain of victims have shared their stories.
Ethically Banned
Ethically, organ donation is altruistic, based on the 2008 Istanbul Declaration on Organ Trading and Tourism, which calls for a ban on organ marketing.
With the exception of Iran, shopping for and promoting organs is unlawful worldwide, in particular when scientific professionals or health centers negotiate with buyers or recipients who choose to exploit minors or humans from bad financial backgrounds.
WHO
Despite this, the World Health Organization exhibits that more than one kidney is traded on the black market each hour.
However, the developing trend of kidney harvesting has raised the question why the Nigerian Medical Association, the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria or even the Ministry of Health have now not acted in opposition to hospitals involvement in the business, in spite of various media reports linking the hospital to illegal kidney transplants.
Findings with the aid of Daily Trust on Sunday published that in November 2022, a video went viral of a young man accusing Abuja Alliance Hospital of harvesting his 17-year-old brother
Jonathan Dangana Speaks
Speaking with Africa Health Report (AHR) A Public Health Specialist, Dr Jonathan Dangana, stated “of course Socio-economic dynamics is a driving force that you may have younger people inclined to sell their physique organs for money. Kidney goes for the value of a million and two million naria. You would remember that about two years ago there was once a similar case of a Nigerian who did something comparable however in a more sophisticated way, shipped somebody to the UK to get his organ harvested so that his personal daughter will live. So in one hand they’re Socio-economic issue and now there is a reality that all people are aware of that fact you can survive with one kidney which is true, then again surviving with one organ comes with its own baggage. Meaning you should have some way of life changes due to the fact you cannot afford to injury the current kidney”.
So as a professional I won’t recommend anyone to indulge in promoting of their organ even when it is now not business purposes.
