Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has raised concerns over reports that some young Nigerians are resorting to selling their kidneys as they struggle to cope with economic hardship.

Atiku, who is the African Democratic Congress (ADC) flag bearer, linked the reported situation to the rising cost of living under President Bola Tinubu’s administration and called for economic reforms that address the pressures facing vulnerable Nigerians.

Atiku’s Warning

In a post on 𝕏 on Thursday, Atiku said he had heard what he described as disturbing reports about the lengths to which young Nigerians were being pushed in an attempt to survive.

He said some of the most troubling reports involved young people allegedly selling parts of their bodies, particularly their kidneys, to raise money.

“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.”

Atiku said the reported trend should “offend the conscience of every Nigerian,” arguing that the situation points to a deeper level of economic desperation.

The ₦1.7 Million Claim

Atiku claimed that some young Nigerians were reportedly being driven to sell their kidneys for as little as ₦1.7 million.

He connected the figure to what he described as an increasingly difficult economic environment in which basic necessities have become harder for ordinary Nigerians to afford.

According to Atiku, the pressure extends across several areas of daily life, including food, transportation, 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 then returned to the kidney-selling reports, saying:

“Yet young Nigerians are reportedly being driven to sell their kidneys for as little as ₦1.7 million.”

Atiku described the situation as one that should concern the country, particularly because young people would ordinarily be expected to be pursuing careers, businesses, families and other ambitions.

From Economic Hardship To Desperation

Atiku argued that the issue goes beyond the normal difficulties associated with rising living costs.

He said young Nigerians should be building their futures rather than considering how much parts of their bodies could fetch as a means of survival.

“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 added:

“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.”

The comments represent Atiku’s assessment of the reported situation and his interpretation of the relationship between economic hardship and the alleged organ sales.

The Laws Against Organ Sales

Atiku acknowledged that Nigeria already has laws prohibiting commercial organ sales and organ trafficking.

However, he argued that legal restrictions alone cannot address the economic circumstances that could leave vulnerable people exposed to exploitation.

“Laws alone cannot cure the poverty and desperation that make vulnerable young people easy prey for criminal networks.”

His argument is therefore that enforcement of existing laws needs to be accompanied by measures aimed at reducing the economic pressures that he says are contributing to desperation.

What Atiku Is Calling For

Atiku called for economic reforms with what he described as “a human face.”

Among the measures he advocated are more affordable food, cheaper transportation, accessible healthcare and decent employment opportunities.

He also called for “renewed hope for the next generation,” presenting the issue as one that requires attention to both immediate living costs and the longer-term prospects of young Nigerians.

What The Warning Highlights

Atiku’s intervention frames the reported kidney-selling cases as more than an issue of organ trafficking. His central argument is that extreme economic pressure can make vulnerable people susceptible to desperate choices and criminal exploitation.

The ₦1.7 million figure and the reports of young Nigerians allegedly selling kidneys are claims presented by Atiku in his statement. The supplied account does not independently establish the number of people involved or verify the specific kidney-sale figure.

His criticism of the Tinubu administration also forms part of a broader political argument over the impact of economic policies on Nigerians’ standard of living.

For Atiku, the reported cases illustrate why economic reforms cannot be measured only through broader economic indicators but must also be considered in terms of how ordinary Nigerians are able to meet basic needs.

The Road Ahead

The concerns raised by Atiku place the welfare of young Nigerians at the centre of his criticism of the current economic situation.

Whether through lower living costs, better access to healthcare, employment opportunities or stronger protection against exploitation, his proposed response focuses on reducing the conditions he says can drive vulnerable Nigerians toward extreme survival measures.

The wider issue now extends beyond the political criticism itself: how effectively Nigeria can address economic hardship while protecting vulnerable people from exploitation remains a significant question as the country continues to grapple with rising living costs.