Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has raised fresh alarm over the worsening cost of living in Nigeria, saying reports of young people allegedly selling their kidneys to raise money show how far economic hardship has pushed vulnerable Nigerians under President Bola Tinubu.
Atiku, who is the African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, made the comments on September 4, 2026, while reacting to reports of Nigerians allegedly parting with their kidneys for money.
He said young Nigerians should be using their energy, skills and ideas to build careers and businesses rather than being pushed into desperate choices involving their health and bodies.
Atiku linked the reported desperation to the rising cost of basic needs under Tinubu, pointing to food, transportation, rent, school fees, medicine and electricity as major pressures facing households.
He said reports that some young Nigerians were allegedly selling their kidneys for as little as ₦1.7 million were a disturbing sign of the depth of the crisis.
The former vice president argued that the issue goes beyond ordinary financial hardship because desperate people can become easy targets for criminal networks involved in illegal organ trafficking.
Nigeria already has laws against the commercial sale of human organs and organ trafficking. Atiku argued that enforcing those laws is important but cannot by itself solve the poverty and desperation that can make vulnerable people susceptible to exploitation.
He called for economic reforms that directly improve the daily lives of Nigerians through more affordable food and transportation, accessible healthcare, decent jobs and better opportunities for young people.
The controversy comes shortly after the Nigeria Police Force announced the arrest of four suspects over an alleged organ harvesting and human trafficking network operating in Nasarawa State and the Federal Capital Territory.
Police said operatives of the Special Tactical Squad arrested the suspects during a sting operation in Auta Balifi, in the Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, on August 19, 2026.
Those arrested were identified as Emmanuel Ode, 23, David Idoko, 25, Dr Benjamin Oyime, 48, a nephrologist and consultant to Wellington Hospital in Life Camp, Abuja, and Dr Daniel Otukpa, 53, also a nephrologist and the hospital’s Acting Director of Clinical Services.
According to the police, preliminary investigations indicated that the alleged syndicate targeted vulnerable and financially desperate young people, particularly in Nasarawa State and neighbouring communities.
Police alleged that Ode recruited victims through false promises and directed them to hospitals where their kidneys were allegedly removed.
Investigators said Ode allegedly told them about a 22 year old man identified as Samuel Ezekiel who was taken to Wellington Hospital in Abuja on April 24, 2026, where his kidney was allegedly removed. Police said the organ was allegedly obtained for 1,250 dollars, which they valued at about ₦1.7 million at the exchange rate used in their account.
Police also said investigators uncovered another alleged victim who claimed he had been recruited in 2022 and taken to a hospital where one of his kidneys was allegedly removed. The victim reportedly said he received ₦7 million after the procedure.
Investigators further alleged that members of the network falsified documents connected to victims, including names, National Identification Numbers, birth records, age declarations, affidavits and consent documents. Police said the alleged falsification was intended to make the procedures appear lawful and voluntary.
The police investigation is still ongoing, with authorities seeking to establish the full scale of the alleged operation, identify additional suspects and determine how many people may have been affected.
The allegations have added a serious human dimension to Nigeria’s continuing debate over the impact of economic reforms and the rising cost of living.
For Atiku, the reports are evidence that economic policy must be judged not only by government figures and reforms but also by how ordinary Nigerians are able to afford food, housing, healthcare, education and other basic needs.
He has used the issue to renew his criticism of the Tinubu administration and present affordability and improved living conditions as central issues in his political campaign ahead of the 2027 election.
