Critical Reflections on Combating Trafficking in Human Organs in Nigeria

Globally, over 125,000 people undergo organ transplantation annually, a relatively small figure when compared to the number of persons on waiting lists for organ transplants. This contributes to the prevalence of illegal practices such as trafficking in human organs (TIHO) and human trafficking for organ removal (HTOR). TIHO and HTOR entails the illicit trade in human organs and the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons, through illegal means such as threats, force or fraud, for the removal of their organs, respectively. Although it is not a recognised destination for TIHO or HTOR, Nigeria experiences several push factors for organ trafficking. The alarming rise in reports of organ harvesting across the country, likely disguised as ritual killings in some cases, is therefore unsurprising. More so, the restrictive regulatory framework for organ donation in Nigeria would encourage the illegal harvesting of organs. This paper focuses on TIHO and analyses the regulatory framework for the prevention of organ trafficking in Nigeria. Building on this, the paper makes recommendations for mainstreaming a human rights-based approach to the regulation of organ donation and addressing the multi-dimensional drivers of organ trafficking