Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has condemned the rising cost of living in Nigeria, expressing concern over reports that some young Nigerians are resorting to selling their kidneys to survive.
Atiku, in a statement on Friday, said the reported sale of body organs by young Nigerians was one of the most disturbing consequences of the country’s economic hardship, stressing that youths should be selling their ideas, talents and innovations rather than parts of their bodies.
“Young people should be selling dreams, ideas and innovation, not their body organs,” Atiku said, describing the reported development as a situation that should “offend the conscience of every Nigerian.”
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The ADC presidential candidate attributed the growing desperation among Nigerians to the increasing cost of basic necessities under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
According to him, food, transportation, rent, school fees, medicine and electricity have become increasingly expensive, making it difficult for many Nigerians, particularly young people, to live with dignity.
Atiku expressed particular concern over reports that some young Nigerians were allegedly being driven to sell their kidneys for as little as N1.7 million in desperate attempts to raise money.
“That should break the heart of a nation,” he said, arguing that young Nigerians should be building careers, establishing businesses, raising families and pursuing their aspirations rather than considering how much their body organs could fetch.
The former vice president said the situation had gone beyond ordinary economic hardship, describing it as “desperation at its most frightening.”
He noted that Nigeria already has laws prohibiting commercial organ sales and organ trafficking, but argued that legislation alone could not address the poverty and desperation that make vulnerable people susceptible to criminal networks.
Atiku also criticised the Federal Government’s economic policies, saying no government should celebrate reforms while Nigerians are allegedly being pushed to extreme measures to afford food, rent, education and other basic needs.
“Economic reform must have a human face,” he said, calling for measures that would make food more affordable, reduce transportation costs, improve access to healthcare, create decent jobs and restore hope among young Nigerians.
Atiku said Nigeria’s young population should be positioned to compete globally through their talents, ideas and innovations rather than being forced by economic hardship to sell their organs for survival.
“Our young people should be selling their ideas, talents and innovation to the world and not their kidneys for N1.7 million just to survive at home,” he said.
The ADC presidential candidate described the situation as part of what he called the “human cost” of Nigeria’s cost-of-living crisis.
He however made a pledge, saying: “Tinubu made Nigeria expensive. I will make Nigeria affordable again.”
