WELLINGTON Clinics, Abuja, has suspended all renal transplant-related services following allegations that young Nigerians were lured into a scheme in which their kidneys were removed and sold.
The private hospital announced the suspension in a statement dated August 31, while denying any involvement in the alleged commercialisation of organ transplantation.
The development followed a police investigation into an alleged organ-harvesting and human-trafficking syndicate and renewed scrutiny of a kidney transplant performed at the hospital in April.
The controversy was brought to wider public attention after a young man reportedly approached the Martin Luther King Centre, an initiative associated with social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan or VDM, with a medical report indicating that his left kidney was missing.
According to VeryDarkMan’s lawyer, Marshall Abubakar, the centre initially sought independent confirmation before raising the alarm.
Abubakar said the young man’s medical condition was verified at two hospitals in Abuja, including a government medical facility in Jabi, where doctors reportedly confirmed that his left kidney was missing.
The lawyer subsequently alleged that the case was not isolated and that more than 10 young Nigerians might have been victims of an illegal kidney-harvesting network.
He made the allegation during an appearance on Channels Television’s Morning Brief on August 28, saying some of the youths were allegedly recruited around Masaka, Nyanya and Mararaba through intermediaries.
Abubakar alleged that one of the victims received about $1,300 after the kidney removal, while his identity was changed and an affidavit obtained in another name.
He further alleged that kidneys harvested from some victims were subsequently sold for between ₦50 million and ₦70 million, with the alleged donors receiving only a fraction of the proceeds.
Police arrest two Wellington-linked doctors
The allegations escalated after the Nigeria Police Force announced the arrest of four people over an alleged organ-harvesting and human-trafficking syndicate operating in Nasarawa State and Abuja.
Those arrested were Emmanuel Ode, 23; Benjamin Oyime, a doctor aged 48; Daniel Otukpa, another doctor aged 53; and David Idoko, 25.
The police said Oyime is a nephrologist and consultant to Wellington Hospital, Life Camp, Abuja, while Otukpa is also a nephrologist and the hospital’s Acting Director of Clinical Services.
They were arrested by operatives of the Force’s Special Tactical Squad during a sting operation at Auta Balifi in Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State on August 19, according to the Force Public Relations Officer, Ani Iniedu on Friday, August 28.
According to the police, Ode allegedly confessed to recruiting victims under false pretences.
Iniedu alleged that on April 24, he took 22-year-old Samuel Ezekiel to Wellington Clinics in Life Camp, Abuja, where his kidney was removed for $1,250, which the police put at about ₦1.7 million.
The police said the investigation suggested that documents were prepared in another name to facilitate the procedure.
Victim alleges his identity was changed
Ezekiel has since narrated how he allegedly ended up at the hospital.
He said Ode, whom he described as his friend, initially told him they were going to a hospital. He was later introduced to another man who took him to an agent identified as Ben.
After preliminary medical tests, Ezekiel said he was told that his kidney did not match the first intended recipient. He alleged that he was subsequently informed that another recipient had been found and that his identity would be changed.
He said he was subsequently taken to Ben’s residence.
“Then, he now said that they are going to change my name, that I will be bearing Hassan Abubakar,” Ezekiel said.
According to his account, an affidavit was prepared at the Federal High Court and he subsequently went to Wellington Clinics, where he signed documents before undergoing surgery.
“Then from there, they now took us to the Federal High Court, where they did the affidavit. Then, from there, we now went to the hospital, Wellington Clinic,” he said.
Ezekiel alleged that he was paid in dollars shortly before the operation but handed the money to Ode, who allegedly changed the money and spent part of it on mobile phones, power banks and Wi-Fi devices.
Wellington says it only provided the facility
In its statement, signed by its Director of Administration, Yemi Olatunbosun, Wellington Clinics said the April 24 procedure was a scheduled kidney donation performed by a specialist team led by Benjamin Friday Oyimeh, a senior consultant nephrologist.
The hospital said its role was limited to providing an equipped theatre and medical environment under a pre-agreed facility-rental arrangement.
It said the specialist team was responsible for recruiting the donor and recipient, conducting clinical assessments, establishing compatibility, obtaining informed consent and carrying out ethical and medico-legal screening.
According to the hospital, the donor was admitted as Abubakar Hassan, born February 4, 2000, and accompanied by a man identified as Abubakar Isa, whom he presented as his brother.
Wellington said the donor presented a court affidavit, digital NIN slip, birth certificate issued by the National Population Commission, affidavit of consent and statutory declaration of age.
He underwent a left donor nephrectomy on April 24 and was discharged on April 28.
The hospital said the kidney was immediately transplanted into a patient with end-stage kidney failure and that neither the donor nor recipient died as a result of the procedure.
Hospital denies commercialising organ transplant
Wellington Clinics also denied participating in, facilitating, negotiating or benefiting from any financial transaction connected with the transplant.
The hospital said it relied on the documents and declarations submitted by the donor and specialist medical team and had no indication at the time that the donor had misrepresented his identity.
It also said it was unaware of any financial relationship between the nephrology team, donor, recipient or any other person involved in the procedure.
The hospital said questions surrounding the alleged manipulation of the donor’s identity were now matters for the police investigation.
The clinic has consequently suspended all renal transplant-related services pending the outcome of the investigations and said it would cooperate with law-enforcement and regulatory authorities.
It also urged the public to await the outcome of the investigation and rely on verified information.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M