The Nigeria Police Force has paraded four suspects allegedly linked to an organ harvesting and human trafficking syndicate operating in Nasarawa State.
The suspects were identified as Emmanuel Ode, 23; Dr Benjamin Oyime, 48, a nephrologist and consultant to Wellington Hospital, Life Camp, Abuja; Dr Daniel Otukpa, 53, also a nephrologist and Acting Director of Clinical Services at the hospital; and David Idoko, 25.
They were arrested by operatives of the Special Tactical Squad during a sting operation at Auta Balifi, Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, on August 19, 2026.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent Ani Iniedu, disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday.
According to the police, Ode allegedly confessed during interrogation to recruiting victims under false pretences.
The statement quoted him as saying that on April 24, 2026, he lured a 22-year-old man identified as Samuel Ezekiel to Wellington Hospital, Life Camp, where the victim’s kidney was allegedly harvested.
Ode reportedly told investigators that he received $1,250, equivalent to about N1.7m, in connection with the procedure.
The police also said a second victim alleged that the same agent lured him to a hospital in 2022, where his kidney was allegedly harvested and he was paid N7m.
“Investigations revealed that the suspects and their accomplices allegedly targeted vulnerable and uneducated young persons within Nasarawa State and its environs, exploiting their financial desperation to obtain consent for illegal organ harvesting,” the police said.
According to the Force, the syndicate allegedly forged official documents, including victims’ names, National Identification Numbers, birth certificates, age declarations, affidavits and consent letters to facilitate the alleged activities.
Clothes reportedly purchased with proceeds of the alleged crime were also recovered during the operation and presented as exhibits.
The police said investigations were ongoing to identify and arrest other individuals allegedly connected to the syndicate.
The Force reiterated its commitment to dismantling human trafficking and organ harvesting networks and protecting vulnerable Nigerians from exploitation.
The police announcement comes amid recent allegations concerning kidney trafficking raised by social media activist Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan.
VeryDarkMan had shared a series of posts alleging that a young man approached his NGO with a medical report indicating that his left kidney was missing.
According to the activist, the man was allegedly paid following the procedure, while attempts were reportedly made to alter his identity through affidavits.
He further alleged that other vulnerable youths had been targeted in communities including Nyanya and Mararaba by agents and medical practitioners.
VeryDarkMan claimed that some harvested kidneys were subsequently sold, while alleged donors received only a fraction of the proceeds.
His public disclosures, alongside a petition from the Vincent Ose Initiative, reportedly drew police attention to related cases.
Meanwhile, viral social media claims alleging that large numbers of young people in Nyanya, Mararaba, Karu and surrounding communities had sold their kidneys were previously denied by the Federal Capital Territory Police Command.
The command’s spokesperson, Superintendent Josephine Adeh, said the police had “neither received nor confirmed any report of such nature”.
She urged the public to disregard unverified reports capable of causing fear and panic, while encouraging anyone with credible information about suspected organ trafficking to report to the nearest police station or the command.
The latest arrests are expected to form part of the ongoing investigation into alleged organ harvesting and human trafficking activities in Nasarawa and neighbouring areas.
