A Consultant Plastic Surgeon, Dr Torngee Malu, has said there is no fixed monetary value for a human kidney, amid an ongoing investigation into alleged kidney harvesting and human trafficking in Nigeria.
Malu made the clarification on Tuesday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Morning Brief, while responding to questions about how much a person could receive for legally donating a kidney.
According to the surgeon, organ donation should not be treated as a straightforward commercial transaction, noting that although the law allows for reimbursement or compensation, it does not prescribe a specific price for a human organ.
“I will still have to follow the law. If you go to the US or the UK, they say there should be reimbursement, what people may call compensation,” Malu said.
He questioned how compensation for a kidney donation could be objectively determined, noting that even when a relative donates an organ, the appropriate form and value of compensation could vary.
Malu also argued that placing a monetary value on kidneys could distract from the more important issue of ensuring that patients who require transplants have access to them.
He noted that kidney disease affects people across different income groups and stressed the need to make transplantation accessible to those who need it.
“People also think that kidney failure only affects rich people. It doesn’t, it affects a lot of poor people,” he said.
The surgeon further explained that kidney transplantation is a highly specialised medical procedure and should be distinguished from illegal organ trafficking.
According to him, the legal framework governing organ donation in Nigeria was strengthened by guidelines issued by the Federal Ministry of Health in 2025.
Malu said kidney harvesting requires highly trained specialists and must be carried out under appropriate medical conditions.
“It’s very, very difficult to harvest the kidney. I’m a surgeon, I’ve been practicing for years, I’m a plastic surgeon—I cannot harvest a kidney. Even a general surgeon cannot just go and harvest a kidney,” he said.
He explained that the transplant process involves separate specialist teams responsible for removing and transplanting the organ after the donor and recipient have undergone the required medical tests and compatibility assessments.
Malu added that the kidney must be transferred within a limited period after removal because prolonged storage could render it unusable.
He therefore urged the public to distinguish legitimate organ donation from kidney trafficking, while calling for proper investigation of the allegations currently under scrutiny.
The controversy followed the arrest of four suspects by the police on August 19 during a sting operation in Auta Balifi, Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
The suspects were identified as Emmanuel Ode, 23; Dr Benjamin Oyime, 48, a nephrologist and consultant to Wellington Hospital, Life Camp, Abuja; Dr Daniel Otukpa, 53, also a nephrologist and Acting Director of Clinical Services at Wellington Hospital; and David Idoko, 25.
The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, alleged that Ode confessed to recruiting victims under false pretences.
Police also alleged that a victim was lured to Wellington Hospital in April 2026, where his kidney was allegedly harvested after he was paid $1,250. Another victim was reportedly subjected to a similar procedure in 2022.
The police said investigations into the case were ongoing.
