The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has called for an immediate and comprehensive investigation into allegations of organ harvesting and human trafficking in Akwa Ibom State and others States across Nigeria, as recently revealed by the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).
The association, through its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, described the unfolding scandals as a grave national crisis and a multi-billion-dollar criminal enterprise that must be addressed with the full force of the law.
The demand followed shocking revelations by NAPTIP’s Akwa Ibom Zonal Coordinator, Mr Emmanuel Awhen, who disclosed that certain medical centres in Akwa Ibom State are complicit in organ harvesting. He also reported that between 2021 and 2024, approximately 750,000 to one million children were trafficked in the state for various exploitative purposes, including forced labour, sexual exploitation, and organ harvesting.
These alarming figures underscore the urgency of the situation and the dire need for the government to act. HURIWA expressed profound disappointment in the failure of past governments to confront these scandals decisively.
The association urged the Federal Government to establish an inter-ministerial panel involving the ministries of Justice and Health to investigate and prosecute offenders.
This panel, HURIWA insisted, must include independent experts, forensic investigators, and civil society organisations to ensure transparency and accountability in its operations.
The association emphasised that the issue of organ harvesting represents a gross violation of human rights and public trust, requiring swift and uncompromising action. It further condemned the persistent lack of accountability in high-profile cases of organ harvesting that have emerged in Nigeria over the years.
