Lagos Police Command is investigating two teenagers for selling their organs to a medical doctor in Abeokuta, Ogun State Capital.
The teenage girls, according to Vanguard, sold their organs for ₦200,000 without the consent of their parents.
The teenagers reportedly conspired with an adult member of their church and visited a doctor at Redwood Specialist Hospital in Abeokuta, where their organs were sold for ₦100,000 each.
The incident came to light on September 12, 2022, when one of the teenagers began vomiting. Her father, suspecting typhoid or malaria, took her to a hospital. Medical tests later revealed that her anus and private parts were damaged.
When the girl regained consciousness, she revealed to her father that a female church member had trafficked them to Ogun state where their organs were sold.
She disclosed that the trafficker convinced them to undergo the illegal procedure, promising them ₦100,000 each because they were not being paid adequately by one of the teenager's fathers, who is a Bishop.
The trafficker allegedly threatened to kill them if they informed their parents.
The teenagers recounted that the trafficker took them to Redwood Hospital in Abeokuta and conspired with the doctor, identified as Dr Durodola, who injected them with drugs.
They were then forcefully taken to PDF Hospital in Surulere, Lagos, where their organs were harvested illegally, causing severe pain and bleeding.
The teenagers were later taken to another hospital in Surulere, where tests and scans revealed that their liver, uterus, urinary bladder, kidney, spleen, and gallbladder were damaged due to the procedure.
One of the teenagers’ fathers, a Bishop, reported the case to the Iyana-Ipaja police station, which transferred it to the State Criminal Investigations and Intelligence Bureau (SCIID) in Panti, Yaba, Lagos for further investigation.
However, the Bishop’s lawyer, Barrister Ikechukwu Chiaha, suspected police compromise after investigators suggested an amicable settlement and payment of ₦300,000, which allegedly included a ₦200,000 cut for the police.
Consequently, Barrister Chiaha transferred the case to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), which had begun a fresh investigation.
In her defense, the main suspect, Adeleke, claimed the teenagers volunteered to donate their eggs after overhearing her phone conversation with a doctor. She said they were compensated with ₦100,000.
The Lagos State Police spokesman, David Hundeyin stated that the procedure was legal and conducted by a professional doctor, with all necessary documents signed by the teenagers, who claimed to be over 18.
The girls were informed about the potential pain for two days post-procedure. Unfortunately, they did not inform their father, who is now requesting ₦200 million as compensation.