Tinubu’s economy has push young Nigerian into selling their kidney to survive, Tinubu made Nigeria expensive, I will make it affordable again – Atiku

Former Vice President and 2027 presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has raised concern over reports that some young Nigerians are allegedly resorting to selling their kidneys to cope with the country’s rising cost of living.

Atiku expressed the concern in a post on X on Friday, saying the worsening economic situation was pushing some young Nigerians 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.

According to the former vice president, young Nigerians should be using their talents and creativity to build their future rather than considering the sale of their organs as a means of survival.

“Young people should be selling dreams, ideas and innovation, not their body organs,” he said.

Atiku described the reports as an indication of the severity of the economic hardship facing Nigerians, arguing that extreme financial pressure could make previously unthinkable choices appear necessary.

“When the cost-of-living crisis becomes unbearable, desperation begins to make the unthinkable appear like an option,” he said.

The ADC presidential candidate blamed the rising prices of essential goods and services on the economic policies of the President Bola Tinubu administration.

“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,” Atiku said.

He claimed that some young Nigerians were reportedly being offered as little as N1.7 million for their kidneys, describing the alleged development as a deeply troubling sign of economic desperation.

“Yet young Nigerians are reportedly being driven to sell their kidneys for as little as N1.7 million. That should break the heart of a nation,” he said.

Atiku said young Nigerians should instead be focused on building careers, establishing businesses, raising families and pursuing their ambitions.

“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,” he said.

He acknowledged that Nigeria has laws prohibiting commercial organ sales and organ trafficking but argued that legislation alone would not address the poverty and desperation that could make vulnerable people susceptible to criminal networks.

“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,” Atiku said.

He also criticised the Federal Government’s economic reform agenda, arguing that reforms should be measured by their impact on the welfare and living conditions of ordinary 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.

Atiku called for economic policies that would make essential goods and services more affordable while creating opportunities for young Nigerians.

“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,” he said.

He added that young Nigerians should be able to earn a living from their skills, talents and ideas rather than being driven to consider selling their organs.

Atiku’s comments come amid recent reports and unverified claims concerning alleged organ trafficking and kidney sales in parts of Nigeria. The specific reports referenced in his statement have not been independently established as evidence of a widespread trend.

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