The Nigeria Police Force has paraded two doctors and two other suspects allegedly linked to an organ harvesting and human trafficking syndicate operating in Nasarawa State.

The suspects are Emmanuel Ode, 23; Dr Benjamin Oyime, 48, a nephrologist and consultant at Wellington Hospital, Life Camp, Abuja; Dr Daniel Otukpa, 53, also a nephrologist and Acting Director of Clinical Services at the hospital; and David Idoko, 25.

They were arrested by operatives of the Special Tactical Squad during a sting operation on August 19, 2026, at Auta Balifi in the Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday.

According to the police, Ode allegedly confessed during interrogation to recruiting victims under false pretences.

The police alleged that on April 24, 2026, Ode lured a 22-year-old man, identified as Samuel Ezekiel, to Wellington Hospital, Life Camp, where his kidney was allegedly harvested. He was reportedly paid $1,250, equivalent to about N1.7 million.

A second victim also allegedly told investigators that he was lured by the same agent in 2022 to a hospital where his kidney was harvested, for which he was reportedly paid N7 million.

The Force said preliminary investigations indicated that the syndicate allegedly targeted vulnerable and uneducated young people in Nasarawa State and neighbouring communities, exploiting their financial difficulties to obtain consent for illegal organ harvesting.

Investigators also allegedly uncovered forged documents, including victims’ names, National Identification Numbers, birth certificates, age declarations, affidavits and consent letters, which were reportedly used to facilitate the activities.

Clothes allegedly purchased with proceeds from the criminal activities were also recovered as exhibits. The police said investigations were ongoing to identify and arrest other persons allegedly connected to the syndicate.

The development comes amid recent allegations of kidney trafficking brought to public attention by social media activist Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan.

VeryDarkMan had alleged that a young man approached his NGO with a medical report showing that he was missing a left kidney. He claimed the man was paid after undergoing the procedure, while attempts were allegedly made to alter his identity through affidavits.

The activist also alleged that other vulnerable youths in areas including Nyanya and Mararaba had been targeted by agents and medical practitioners.

His allegations and a petition from the Vincent Ose Initiative reportedly drew police attention to related cases.

However, viral claims that large numbers of young people in Nyanya, Mararaba, Karu and neighbouring communities had sold their kidneys were denied by the Federal Capital Territory Police Command.

The command’s spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, said the police had neither received nor confirmed any report of such activity.

She urged members of the public to disregard unverified reports capable of causing fear and panic, while encouraging anyone with credible information about suspected organ trafficking to report to the nearest police station or the command.