Our Correspondent
A sinister trade operating in the shadows of Akwa Ibom has been exposed.
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), has apprehended a suspect linked to organ harvesting, a crime that has turned some clinics and hospitals in the state into macabre marketplaces for human body parts.
The chilling revelation came on Saturday in Uyo, during a press briefing marking the 2025 National Human Trafficking Awareness Day.
Emmanuel Awhen, NAPTIP’s State Zonal Coordinator, disclosed that the suspect, who hails from outside the state, has been handed over to authorities in their home state for further prosecution.
“Organ harvesting is thriving in this state. Some clinics, operating under the guise of medical practice, are deeply involved in this horrific trade,” Awhen warned, adding that over 60 convictions have already been secured in related trafficking cases.
The event, organized by the State Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs in collaboration with NAPTIP and the Network Against Child Trafficking, Abuse, and Labour (NACTAL), also highlighted the emotional and psychological devastation caused by human trafficking.
Peace Edem, NACTAL’s State Coordinator, stressed the need for heightened public awareness to prevent unsuspecting victims from falling prey.
With organ trafficking on the rise, Akwa Ibom is facing a chilling reality. But with NAPTIP closing in on the perpetrators, the darkness may soon be exposed to the light of justice.
