Mother Learns Son’s Kidney Was Removed After Stranger’s Phone Call

The mother of 22-year-old Samuel Ezekiel, whose kidney was allegedly removed after he was deceived by his friend, Emmanuel Ode, has said she only discovered what happened after receiving a phone call from someone who heard that her son had undergone the procedure.

The woman said she had no knowledge that Ezekiel had been taken to a hospital in Abuja, where his kidney was allegedly harvested on April 24, 2026.

Ezekiel had earlier alleged that Ode deceived him into believing they were going to the hospital for another purpose before taking him to Wellington Hospital, Life Camp, Abuja.

He claimed that Ode assured him that having one kidney removed would not affect his health or ability to live normally.

Ezekiel also alleged that his identity was changed to “Hassan Abubakar” during the process, while an affidavit was prepared at the Federal High Court before he was taken to the hospital.

The police later alleged that Ode recruited Ezekiel for the procedure and that the victim’s kidney was harvested for $1,250, equivalent to about N1.7 million.

The Nigeria Police Force subsequently paraded Ode, two doctors and another suspect over an alleged organ-harvesting and human-trafficking syndicate operating around Abuja and Nasarawa State.

The suspects were identified as Ode, 23; Dr Benjamin Oyime, 48, a nephrologist and consultant to Wellington Hospital; Dr Daniel Otukpa, 53, a nephrologist and Acting Director of Clinical Services at the hospital; and David Idoko, 25.

According to the police, operatives of the Special Tactical Squad arrested the suspects during a sting operation at Auta Balefi, Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, on August 19.

The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, said Ode allegedly confessed during interrogation to recruiting victims under false pretences.

The police also alleged that the syndicate targeted vulnerable and uneducated young people, exploiting their financial difficulties to obtain consent for illegal organ harvesting.

Investigators further alleged that official documents, including victims’ names, National Identification Numbers, birth certificates, age declarations, affidavits and consent letters, were forged to facilitate the procedures.

But speaking to journalists on Friday, Ezekiel’s mother said she was completely unaware that her son had undergone the procedure until someone called to inform her.

“I was in the shop one day, and someone called me to say they heard that my son’s kidney had been removed,” she said.

The mother said she immediately contacted another of her sons to find out what had happened, but he initially told her that he knew nothing about the matter.

She said she later learnt from her younger son that Ezekiel had been taken to a hospital by Ode.

According to her, the discovery prompted her to report the matter to the police.

She said, “So, later, he told me that the junior one told him that Emmanuel took him to a hospital and then went and removed his kidney. So, that was how I went to the police station to report the matter.”

The woman also said Ezekiel did not return home with any money after the alleged procedure.

Asked whether her son brought any money home, she replied, “No, no, no.”

Ezekiel had earlier alleged that the payment he received was in US dollars and that he handed the money to Ode for safekeeping before entering the theatre.

He claimed that after the operation, Ode changed the money and used part of it to purchase two phones, two power banks and two Wi-Fi devices.

According to Ezekiel, Ode gave him one of each item and kept the other set for himself.

The 22-year-old said he remained at the hospital for about a week after the operation before being discharged.

He alleged that Ode then took him to a hotel, where they stayed for two days, before travelling with him to Cross River State.

According to Ezekiel, they remained in Cross River for almost three months.

He said when he later asked Ode about the money, his friend told him it had been spent.

Ezekiel further alleged that after they ran out of money for transportation back to Abuja, Ode collected his phone and sold it to raise money for their journey.

Explaining why she did not immediately notice her son’s absence, the mother said Ezekiel had left her residence in Nyanya, Abuja, to stay with his father in Ota, Ogun State.

She said Ezekiel had completed secondary school but the family could not afford to further his education at the time.

According to her, the family instead enrolled him to learn computer-related skills.

“When he finished secondary school, he came back. He was with my elder sister in our village, where he was going to school.

“When he finished school, he came back. At that time, I didn’t have money to send him to another school. So, we paid money for him to learn computer skills.

“That was how he went to his father’s side. He was with his father in Ota, Baale, learning computer skills. I had also put him with a Ghanaian man, where he was learning 3D and painting. So, that was how he left my side and went to Ota to learn computer skills,” she said.

The mother said she later became concerned about her son’s condition after the police directed her to take him back to the hospital.

She said Ezekiel had been walking around with his surgical stitches still in place and that the wound eventually began producing pus.

“The police then said I should take him back to the hospital because he was walking around with the stitches without removing them. When it started producing pus, they said he should go back and have the stitches removed,” she said.

She added that she subsequently took Ezekiel back to the hospital, where the stitches were removed.

The police said investigations into the alleged organ-harvesting syndicate were ongoing, adding that efforts were being made to apprehend other suspects allegedly linked to the network.

The Force said the case formed part of its wider investigation into alleged organ trafficking following allegations brought to public attention by social media activist Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan.

The activist had earlier disclosed that a young man approached his NGO with a medical report indicating that his left kidney was missing.

The police said their investigation uncovered allegations involving vulnerable young people in communities around Nasarawa and the Federal Capital Territory.

The FCT Police Command, however, warned the public against unverified claims following viral reports alleging widespread kidney selling among youths in Nyanya, Mararaba, Karu and neighbouring communities.

The command said it had neither received nor confirmed reports that “nearly all” young people in the affected areas had sold their kidneys.

It urged anyone with credible information about suspected organ trafficking to report to the police.
The mother of 22-year-old Samuel Ezekiel, whose kidney was allegedly removed after he was deceived by his friend, Emmanuel Ode, has said she only discovered what happened after receiving a phone call from someone who heard that her son had undergone the procedure.

The woman said she had no knowledge that Ezekiel had been taken to a hospital in Abuja, where his kidney was allegedly harvested on April 24, 2026.

Ezekiel had earlier alleged that Ode deceived him into believing they were going to the hospital for another purpose before taking him to Wellington Hospital, Life Camp, Abuja.

He claimed that Ode assured him that having one kidney removed would not affect his health or ability to live normally.

Ezekiel also alleged that his identity was changed to “Hassan Abubakar” during the process, while an affidavit was prepared at the Federal High Court before he was taken to the hospital.

The police later alleged that Ode recruited Ezekiel for the procedure and that the victim’s kidney was harvested for $1,250, equivalent to about N1.7 million.

The Nigeria Police Force subsequently paraded Ode, two doctors and another suspect over an alleged organ-harvesting and human-trafficking syndicate operating around Abuja and Nasarawa State.

The suspects were identified as Ode, 23; Dr Benjamin Oyime, 48, a nephrologist and consultant to Wellington Hospital; Dr Daniel Otukpa, 53, a nephrologist and Acting Director of Clinical Services at the hospital; and David Idoko, 25.

According to the police, operatives of the Special Tactical Squad arrested the suspects during a sting operation at Auta Balefi, Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, on August 19.

The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, said Ode allegedly confessed during interrogation to recruiting victims under false pretences.

The police also alleged that the syndicate targeted vulnerable and uneducated young people, exploiting their financial difficulties to obtain consent for illegal organ harvesting.

Investigators further alleged that official documents, including victims’ names, National Identification Numbers, birth certificates, age declarations, affidavits and consent letters, were forged to facilitate the procedures.

But speaking to journalists on Friday, Ezekiel’s mother said she was completely unaware that her son had undergone the procedure until someone called to inform her.

“I was in the shop one day, and someone called me to say they heard that my son’s kidney had been removed,” she said.

The mother said she immediately contacted another of her sons to find out what had happened, but he initially told her that he knew nothing about the matter.

She said she later learnt from her younger son that Ezekiel had been taken to a hospital by Ode.

According to her, the discovery prompted her to report the matter to the police.

She said, “So, later, he told me that the junior one told him that Emmanuel took him to a hospital and then went and removed his kidney. So, that was how I went to the police station to report the matter.”

The woman also said Ezekiel did not return home with any money after the alleged procedure.

Asked whether her son brought any money home, she replied, “No, no, no.”

Ezekiel had earlier alleged that the payment he received was in US dollars and that he handed the money to Ode for safekeeping before entering the theatre.

He claimed that after the operation, Ode changed the money and used part of it to purchase two phones, two power banks and two Wi-Fi devices.

According to Ezekiel, Ode gave him one of each item and kept the other set for himself.

The 22-year-old said he remained at the hospital for about a week after the operation before being discharged.

He alleged that Ode then took him to a hotel, where they stayed for two days, before travelling with him to Cross River State.

According to Ezekiel, they remained in Cross River for almost three months.

He said when he later asked Ode about the money, his friend told him it had been spent.

Ezekiel further alleged that after they ran out of money for transportation back to Abuja, Ode collected his phone and sold it to raise money for their journey.

Explaining why she did not immediately notice her son’s absence, the mother said Ezekiel had left her residence in Nyanya, Abuja, to stay with his father in Ota, Ogun State.

She said Ezekiel had completed secondary school but the family could not afford to further his education at the time.

According to her, the family instead enrolled him to learn computer-related skills.

“When he finished secondary school, he came back. He was with my elder sister in our village, where he was going to school.

“When he finished school, he came back. At that time, I didn’t have money to send him to another school. So, we paid money for him to learn computer skills.

“That was how he went to his father’s side. He was with his father in Ota, Baale, learning computer skills. I had also put him with a Ghanaian man, where he was learning 3D and painting. So, that was how he left my side and went to Ota to learn computer skills,” she said.

The mother said she later became concerned about her son’s condition after the police directed her to take him back to the hospital.

She said Ezekiel had been walking around with his surgical stitches still in place and that the wound eventually began producing pus.

“The police then said I should take him back to the hospital because he was walking around with the stitches without removing them. When it started producing pus, they said he should go back and have the stitches removed,” she said.

She added that she subsequently took Ezekiel back to the hospital, where the stitches were removed.

The police said investigations into the alleged organ-harvesting syndicate were ongoing, adding that efforts were being made to apprehend other suspects allegedly linked to the network.

The Force said the case formed part of its wider investigation into alleged organ trafficking following allegations brought to public attention by social media activist Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan.

The activist had earlier disclosed that a young man approached his NGO with a medical report indicating that his left kidney was missing.

The police said their investigation uncovered allegations involving vulnerable young people in communities around Nasarawa and the Federal Capital Territory.

The FCT Police Command, however, warned the public against unverified claims following viral reports alleging widespread kidney selling among youths in Nyanya, Mararaba, Karu and neighbouring communities.

The command said it had neither received nor confirmed reports that “nearly all” young people in the affected areas had sold their kidneys.

It urged anyone with credible information about suspected organ trafficking to report to the police.

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