Mark Lobel, a freelance journalist from the United Kingdom, has narrated the shocking story of how an unnamed Nigerian disc jockey sold his kidney in Egypt to raise money for a second-hand laptop. Lobel, who was a former BBC Nigeria correspondent, revealed this in a documentary titled ‘How Sen Ekweremadu Was Arrested in London for Organ Harvesting,’ produced by Nigerian journalist Chude Jideonwo.
The documentary explores the background events leading to the arrest and conviction of former Nigerian Deputy Senate President Senator Ike Ekweremadu, his wife Beatrice, and a medical doctor, Obinna Obetta, in the UK for organ trafficking. The trio was sentenced for conspiring to arrange the travel of a 21-year-old Nigerian man to exploit him for his kidney.
Lobel, disturbed by the Ekweremadu case, traveled to Nigeria to investigate further. During his investigation, he uncovered disturbing truths about the desperation of some Nigerians and the extreme measures they take to improve their lives.
In one particularly jarring encounter, Lobel spoke with a Nigerian computer merchant whose customer had traveled to Egypt to sell his kidney. The customer wanted to use the money to buy a laptop to pursue a career as a DJ, hoping to escape the manual labor he was doing. However, the risks he took and the inadequate aftercare he received left him in poor health.
Lobel expressed his shock at the situation, noting the serious concerns about the man’s health due to the lack of proper and expensive aftercare, which the man likely couldn’t afford. He highlighted the gravity of the situation, emphasizing the dangers and illegality of such organ trades.
The journalist’s findings reflect the growing desperation among some Nigerians, driven by economic hardship to make dangerous decisions in the quest for a better life.