“In Tinubu’s Nigeria, Young People Are Selling Their Kidneys for ₦1.7m to Survive” — Atiku Raises Alarm Over Organ Trade

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has raised the alarm over reports that some young Nigerians are considering selling their kidneys to raise money amid the country’s worsening cost-of-living crisis.

He described the development as “desperation at its most frightening” and accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of making life unbearably expensive for Nigerians.

A Disturbing Trend

ValidViewNetwork gathered that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has raised the alarm over reports that some young Nigerians are considering selling their kidneys to raise money amid the country’s worsening cost-of-living crisis.

Atiku, the 2027 presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), expressed the concern in a post on X on Friday, September 4, 2026, saying the rising cost of living was pushing some young people towards desperate measures.

“I have heard disturbing stories about the extent to which young Nigerians are being driven simply to survive. Perhaps the most horrifying are the growing reports of young people selling parts of their bodies: kidneys in particular, in desperate attempts to raise money,” he said.

As Little as ₦1.7 Million

The former Vice President said reports that some young Nigerians were being offered as little as ₦1.7 million for a kidney should concern the country.

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“Young people should be selling dreams, ideas and innovation, not their body organs,” Atiku said, warning that severe economic pressure could make otherwise unthinkable choices appear viable to vulnerable people.

Blaming Tinubu’s Policies

Atiku blamed the situation on rising costs under the President Bola Tinubu administration, citing increases in food, transport, rent, school fees, medicine and electricity.

“In Tinubu’s Nigeria, almost everything required to live with dignity is becoming more expensive by the day: food, transport, rent, school fees, medicine and electricity,” he said.

“Yet young Nigerians are reportedly being driven to sell their kidneys for as little as ₦1.7 million. That should break the heart of a nation”.

Desperation at Its Most Frightening

Atiku argued that when young Nigerians begin to see their kidneys as emergency savings, the country is no longer dealing with ordinary economic hardship.

“Young Nigerians should be building careers, starting businesses, raising families and pursuing their dreams, not calculating how much parts of their bodies can fetch simply to stay alive,” he said.

“When young Nigerians begin to see their kidneys as emergency savings, we are no longer talking about ordinary economic hardship. We are talking about desperation at its most frightening”.

Laws Alone Are Not Enough

Atiku acknowledged that Nigeria has laws prohibiting commercial organ sales and organ trafficking but argued that legislation alone could not address the underlying causes of the problem.

“Nigeria already has laws prohibiting commercial organ sales and organ trafficking. But laws alone cannot cure the poverty and desperation that make vulnerable young people easy prey for criminal networks,” he said.

A Call for Human-Centred Reforms

Atiku criticised the Federal Government’s economic reforms, saying they should prioritise the welfare of Nigerians.

“No government should celebrate ‘reforms’ while young Nigerians are being reduced to selling parts of themselves to eat, pay rent, settle school fees or survive,” he said.

“Economic reform must have a human face. It must mean affordable food, cheaper transportation, accessible healthcare, decent jobs and renewed hope for the next generation”.

The Organ Trafficking Context

Atiku’s remarks come amid a spate of reports and unverified claims about organ trafficking in parts of the country in recent weeks.

The Nigeria Police Force recently paraded four suspects, including two nephrologists, over an alleged organ harvesting operation.

Police said one of the suspects allegedly admitted to recruiting victims and disclosed that a 22-year-old man had been lured to a hospital in Abuja in April, where his kidney was allegedly harvested for $1,250, equivalent to about ₦1.7 million.

A Lesson for Nigerian Youths

Atiku’s warning is a stark reminder that economic hardship can push people to the edge of desperation.

When young Nigerians begin to see their body parts as a source of income, something has gone terribly wrong.

For young Nigerians, the lesson is clear: your body is not a commodity. No amount of money is worth sacrificing your health and future.

The same leaders who fail to create jobs and opportunities will never allow their own children to face such choices.Protect your health. Demand better from your leaders. And never forget that your future is worth more than ₦1.7 million.