Atiku Abubakar Sounds Alarm Over Kidney Sales Among Young Nigerians

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has raised alarm over the alarming trend of young Nigerians resorting to selling their kidneys to cope with the escalating cost of living in the country. In a poignant post on X, he lamented the desperate measures some are taking just to survive.

“I’ve heard disturbing stories about young Nigerians driven to extreme actions for survival. The reports of organ sales, particularly kidneys, are horrifying,” Atiku stated. He emphasized that instead of selling body parts, young people should be selling dreams, ideas, and innovations.

The 2027 ADC presidential candidate attributed this crisis to the economic policies of President Bola Tinubu's administration, which he claims have inflated the prices of essential goods and services. “In Tinubu’s Nigeria, everything needed for a dignified life is becoming more expensive—food, transport, rent, school fees, and healthcare,” he noted.

Atiku’s comments come in light of reports that some individuals are selling their kidneys for as little as N1.7 million, a situation he described as a heartbreaking reflection of national despair. “When young Nigerians start seeing their kidneys as emergency savings, we are witnessing desperation at its most frightening,” he warned.

He called for a shift in focus for young Nigerians—from selling their organs to building futures through careers, businesses, and families. “They should not be calculating the monetary value of their body parts just to stay alive,” he asserted.

While acknowledging that Nigeria has laws against commercial organ sales and trafficking, Atiku argued that legislation alone cannot address the deep-seated poverty and desperation fueling these actions. “Laws cannot cure the conditions that make vulnerable young people easy targets for criminal networks,” he stated.

Criticizing the federal government's economic approach, he insisted that reforms must prioritize the welfare of citizens. “No government should celebrate reforms while young Nigerians are reduced to selling parts of themselves to survive,” he said.

Atiku concluded by emphasizing that economic reform must encompass affordable living conditions, accessible healthcare, and decent job opportunities. “Our youth should be selling their talents and innovations to the world, not their kidneys for mere survival in their own country,” he added.

His remarks come amid rising concerns over organ trafficking in Nigeria, highlighting a growing crisis that demands urgent attention.