Tag: Organ harvesting

Bereaved families have stormed the Aigbe mortuary to collect corpses deposited in the mortuary over allegations of missing organs.

Parts of the Aigbe Mortuary on Akugbe Street, off Upper Sakponba Road, Ikpoba-Okha local government area, were vandalised after a family discovered that the body of their father was filled with nylon materials after the internal organs were removed.

The discovery was made during the lying in-state of the deceased.

It was an attempt to spray perfume on the corpse due to the heavy smell, and it was discovered that the corpse had been tampered with.

A visit to the facility showed that bereaved families have stormed the mortuary to collect the bodies of their deceased relatives.

They said they want to transfer the corpses to other mortuaries.

One Osariemen Desmond was at the morgue to collect the corpse of his late mother.

He said he would ensure nothing happened to her remains because she would be buried next year.

“I am here because of the story we heard about organ harvesting last Friday. I just want to be sure that my mother’s corpse is safe. Many people have been coming since Monday to transfer the corpses of their deceased family members to other mortuaries, while others just came to be sure that nothing had happened to the corpses they deposited. But for me, I am here to be sure that my mum’s corpse is intact,” he said.

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A staff member of the hospital, who pleaded anonymity, said the corpse that was allegedly tampered with died of food poisoning.

“There is nothing like organ harvesting here. The man in question died from poisoning, and that may have affected his internal organs,” he said.

Edo State Police spokesman, ASP Eno Ikoedem, said an investigation has begun into the matter.

“The Edo State Police Command has launched an intensive and far-reaching investigation into a disturbing allegation of unlawful tampering with a human corpse and theft of human parts at Akugbe Mortuary, located along Upper Sakponba Road, Benin City—an incident that sparked public outrage and nearly culminated in mob violence.

“On December 12, 2025, the Command received an urgent distress call indicating that a mortuary attendant was on the verge of being lynched by an irate crowd over allegations of organ harvesting. Acting with swift precision, the Divisional Police Officer, Ugbekun Division, immediately mobilised operatives to the scene and successfully rescued the suspect, thereby averting a breakdown of law and order.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that one Marvelous Odeh and others had visited the mortuary to claim the corpse of the late Uyi Enogieru for burial. However, upon completion of the required formalities, it was discovered that the corpse had been unlawfully interfered with and that some body parts were missing, prompting a report to the Police.

“The suspect has since been taken into custody and, on the directive of the Commissioner of Police, Edo State Command, Monday Agbonika, the case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for a thorough, professional, and discreet investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident.”

Four officials of an Abuja-based medical facility –  Alliance Hospital and Services Limited – have been arraigned before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Zuba for their alleged involvement in organ harvesting.

The four – Emmanuel Muyiwa Olorunlaye, Chikaodili Ugochukwu, Dr. Christopher Otabor and Dr. Aremu Abayomi – were arraigned with the hospital on an 11-count charge brought against them by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).

They are accused of being involved in the removal of the kidneys of three individuals – Adebayo Salaudeen Saliman (a 17-year old male), Yahaya Musa (also a 17-year old male) and Aminu Yahuza (25-year old male) 

The defendants, who were said to have committed the alleged offences between February and May 2023, pleaded not guilty when the charge, marked: CR/193/2024 was read to them.

Justice Kezziah Ogbonnaya however granted them bail and warned them to make themselves available for trial. 

Justice Ogbonnaya ordered the defendants to surrender their travel documents to the court’s Registrar and adjourned till May 6 for th commencement of trial.

Prosecuting lawyer, Hassan Dahiru said the prosecution plans to bring all its witnesses to court on the next adjourned date to ensure a prompt trial.

The charge reads:

*That you, Emmanuel Muyiwa Olorunlaye, male, 36 years old, of No. 3. Durumi 3 Gaduwa Area, Abuja, sometime in February, 2023, at Alliance Hospital and Services Ltd, Area 11 Garki, Abuja, procured Adebayo Salaudeen Saliman, male 17 years for the removal of his organ (kidney) at Alliance Hospital and Services Ltd, Area 11 Garki, Abuja and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 20(2)(a) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 20(2)(b) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015. 

*That you, Emmanuel Muyiwa Olorunlaye, male, 36 years old, of No. 3. Durumi 3 Gaduwa Area, Abuja, sometime in May, 2023, at Alliance Hospital and Services Ltd, Area 11 Garki, Abuja, procured Yahaya Musa, male 17 years for the removal of his organ (kidney) at Alliance Hospital and Services Ltd, Area 11 Garki, Abuja and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 20(2)(a) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 20 (2) (b) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015 .

*That you, Emmanuel Muyiwa Olorunlaye, male, 36 years old, of No. 3. Durumi 3 Gaduwa Area, Abuja, sometime in March, 2023, at Alliance Hospital and Services Ltd, Area 11 Garkl, Abuja, procured Aminu Yahuza, male, 25 years for the removal of his organ (kidney) at Alliance Hospital and Services Ltd, Area 11 Garki, Abuja and thereby committed an offence – contrary to Section 20(2)(a) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 20(2)(b) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015. 

*That you Chikaodili Ugochukwu, female, 37 years old, of Alliance Hospital and Services Ltd, No. 5 Malumfashi Close, Off Emeka Anyoku Street Area 11 Garki, Abuja, sometime in February, 2023 at Alliance Hospital and Services Lid, Area 11 Garki, Abuja, assisted in the removal of Adebayo Salaudeen Saliman’s organ (kidney) at Alliance Hospital and Services Ltd, Area 11 Garki, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 20(2)(a) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 20(2)(b) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.

*That you Chikaodili Ugochukwu, female, 37 years old, of Alliance Hospital and Services Ltd, No.5 Malumfashi Close, Off Emeka Anyoku Street Area 11 Garki, Abuja, sometime in May, 2023 at Alliance Hospital and Services Lid, Area 11 Garki, Abuja, assisted in the removal of Yahaya Musa’s organ (kidney) at Alliance Hospital and Services Lid, Area 11 Garki, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 20(2)(a) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 20(2)(b) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015. 

*That you Chikaodili Ugochukwu, female, 37 years old, of Alliance Hospital and Services Ltd,, No. 5 Malumfashi Close, Off Emeka Anyoku Street Area 

11 Garki, Abuja, sometime in March, 2023 at Alliance Hospital and Services Ltd, Area 11 Garki, Abuja, assisted in the removal of Aminu Yahuza’s organ (kidney) at Alliance Hospital and Services Ltd. Area 11 

Garki, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 20(2)(a) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015 and punishable under. Section 20(2)(b) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015 

*That you, Dr. Christopher Otabor, male 51 years old, of Alliance Hospital and Services Ltd, No.5 Malumfashi Close, Off Emeka Anyoku Street, Area 11 Garki, Abuja, sometime in February, 2023 accommodated Adebayo Salaudeen Saliman , male 17 years at Alliance Hospital and Services Lid, Area 11 Garki, Abuja, for the removal his organ (kidney) and’ thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 20(3) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015. 

*That you, Dr. Christopher Otabor, male 51 years old, of Alliance Hospital and Services Lid, No.5 Malumfashi Close, Off Emeka Anyoku Street,’ Area 11 Garki, Abuja, sometime in May, 2023, accommodated Yahaya Musa, male 17 years at Alliance Hospital and Services Ltd, Area 11 Garki, Abuja, for the removal his organ (kidney) and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 20(3) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015. 

*That you, Dr. Aremu Abayomi, male, 43 years old, of Alliance Hospital and Services Ltd, No. 5 Malumfashi Close, Off Emeka Anyoku Street Area 11 Garki, Abuja, sometime in February, 2023 as a surgeon in Alliance Hospital and Services Ltd, Area 11 Garki, Abuja, performed the surgical operation for the removal of Adebayo Salaudeen Saliman’s organ (kidney) at Alliance Hospital and Services Ltd, Area 11 Garki, Abuja and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 20(2)(a) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 20 (2) (b) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015 

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That you, Dr. Aremu Abayomi, male, 43 years old of Alliance Hospital and’ Services Ltd, No.5 Malumfashi Close, Off Emeka Anyoku Street, Area 11 Garki, Abuja, sometime in May, 2023 as a surgeon in Alliance Hospital and Services Ltd, Area 11 Garki, Abuja, performed the surgical operation for the removal of Yahaya Musa’s organ (kidney) at Alliance Hospital and Services Ltd, Area 11 Garki, Abuja and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 20(2)(a) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015 and punishable under Section 20(2)(b) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.

*That you , Dr. Aremu Abayomi, male, 43 years old of Alliance Hospital and’ Services Ltd, No.5 Malumfashi Close, Off Emeka Anyoku Street, Area 11 Garki, Abuja, sometime in May, 2023 as a surgeon in Alliance Hospital and Services Ltd, Area 11 Garki, Abuja, performed the surgical operation for the removal of Aminu Yahuza’s organ (kidney) at Alliance Hospital and Services Lid, Area 11 Garki, Abuja and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 20(2)(a) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015 end punishable under Section 20(2)(b) of the Trafficking In Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.

The federal government has reiterated its resolve to fully enforce the law governing organ donation and transplant in the country in accordance with the law.

The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, while reacting to media reports on organ harvesting in Abuja, condemned the illegality perpetrated by the suspects while commiserating with the unsuspecting victims.

In a statement by the Director of Media & Public Relations, Patricia Deworitshe on Wednesday, said the ministry affirmed that everyone found culpable in the criminal act will face the full wrath of the law

It reads in part: “The attention of the Federal Ministry of Health has been drawn to a report emanating from the Daily Trust Newspaper titled “Inside Abuja’s Kidney Market where the Rich prey on the Poor in the FCT”.

“The Ministry has noted with great concern and condemns in totality such barbaric inhuman criminal practice of kidney trafficking revealed in that report.

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“We acknowledge the pain of those affected and wish to let the public know that the National Health Act (NHA) 2014 Sections 51-56, prohibits such illegality. “Person Who contravene or fail to comply with the provisions of the section commit an offence and is liable on conviction or a fine of N1,000,000 or imprisonment of not less than
two years or both”.

“It is pertinent to note that both the seller and the buyers of this illegal trade as well as the medical practitioners and facilities where this criminal act is being performed will face the full wrath of the law.

“Donation of kidney should be on informed consent of the donor, done based on medical advice with privileged information about the process in order to save lives.

“However, the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN)is looking into allegations levelled against medical practitioners engaged in such activities.

“While the Federal Ministry of Health remains committed to improving regulatory standards and practices to enhance effective and efficient healthcare system in line with the renewed hope agenda, the public is hereby advised not to engage in such illegal practices and should contact the Federal Ministry of Health on 08033228978 for any information that can lead to the arrest of such perpetrators”.