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Alarm as Cartels Target Teenage Girls for Organ Harvesting

A disturbing trend of organ harvesting targeting teenage girls is emerging in Nigeria, raising serious concerns among human rights activists and medical professionals. Reports indicate that young girls, particularly from impoverished backgrounds, are being deceived by individuals posing as doctors or trusted figures who promise financial assistance or medical care. However, instead of receiving help, these girls have their ovaries illegally removed and sold in a growing underground organ trade.

This illicit practice has largely operated in the shadows of Nigeria’s healthcare system, but recent reports have prompted calls for urgent intervention. Since 2018, there has been a surge in cases of organ harvesting, exposing the vulnerability of minors to exploitation. The black market for human organs continues to thrive, with traffickers preying on young girls who are often unaware of the dangers they face.

Medical professionals and activists are now pushing for stronger enforcement measures to dismantle the networks behind this criminal operation. Advocacy groups are also urging the government to implement stricter regulations, raise public awareness, and provide better protection for at-risk individuals. As investigations continue, there is growing pressure on authorities to take decisive action and bring those responsible to justice.

A disturbing trend of organ harvesting targeting teenage girls is emerging in Nigeria, raising serious concerns among human rights activists and medical professionals. Reports indicate that young girls, particularly from impoverished backgrounds, are being deceived by individuals posing as doctors or trusted figures who promise financial assistance or medical care. However, instead of receiving help, these girls have their ovaries illegally removed and sold in a growing underground organ trade.

This illicit practice has largely operated in the shadows of Nigeria’s healthcare system, but recent reports have prompted calls for urgent intervention. Since 2018, there has been a surge in cases of organ harvesting, exposing the vulnerability of minors to exploitation. The black market for human organs continues to thrive, with traffickers preying on young girls who are often unaware of the dangers they face.

Medical professionals and activists are now pushing for stronger enforcement measures to dismantle the networks behind this criminal operation. Advocacy groups are also urging the government to implement stricter regulations, raise public awareness, and provide better protection for at-risk individuals. As investigations continue, there is growing pressure on authorities to take decisive action and bring those responsible to justice.

According to the agency, an estimated one million children were trafficked in last four years in A’Ibom.
The State Zonal Coordinator of NAPTIP, Mr. Emmanuel Awhen, made the startling allegation in Uyo as stakeholders marked the National Human Trafficking Awareness Day 2025 themed, “Strengthening Communities by Connecting the Dots”

Awhen noted that approximately 750,000 to one million children were abducted in Akwa Ibom for trafficking and other exploitative purposes between 2021 and 2024.

He disclosed further the agency’s arrest of one suspect for organ harvesting, having secured 60 convictions of human trafficking offenders under the period in review with 15 cases pending in court.

NAPTIP reacts

Vincent Adekoye, Press Officer of NAPTIP, explained that ovary harvesting in Nigeria was part of broader patterns of human trafficking and organ harvesting.

NAPTIP identifies trafficking hotspots, though ovary harvesting remains under-reported. Traffickers commonly use deceit, coercion, debt bondage, and exploitation of desperation to target vulnerable victims.

Challenges NAPTIP faces include limited regional cooperation, the clandestine nature of the crime, resource constraints, secrecy among victims, and sophisticated trafficking networks using technology to evade detection.

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