Mother learned of son's kidney removal via phone call

The mother of 22-year-old Samuel Ezekiel, whose kidney was allegedly removed after he was deceived by a friend, has revealed she learned of the incident through a phone call. She had no prior knowledge that her son had been taken to a hospital in Abuja for the procedure on April 24, 2026.

Ezekiel claims his friend, Emmanuel Ode, convinced him to go to Wellington Hospital in Life Camp, Abuja, under false pretenses. During the alleged harvesting, Ezekiel's identity was reportedly changed to "Hassan Abubakar," and an affidavit was prepared at the Federal High Court. The victim stated Ode assured him the removal would not impact his health.

The Nigeria Police Force has alleged that Ode recruited Ezekiel for the procedure, with the kidney harvested for $1,250 (approximately N1.7 million). Police paraded Ode, two doctors, and another suspect over an alleged organ-harvesting and human-trafficking syndicate operating in Abuja and Nasarawa State. The suspects, including nephrologists Dr. Benjamin Oyime and Dr. Daniel Otukpa, were arrested during a sting operation in Auta Balefi, Nasarawa State.

According to police, the syndicate targeted vulnerable, uneducated young people, exploiting their financial difficulties to obtain consent for illegal organ harvesting. Investigators also allege that official documents, including names, National Identification Numbers, and birth certificates, were forged to facilitate the procedures. Ezekiel's mother expressed her shock, stating she was at her shop when she received the call informing her of her son's condition, prompting her to investigate the matter further.

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I was in the shop one day, and someone called me to say they heard that my son’s kidney had been removed.