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…denies deal, suspends renal transplant services
From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Wellington Clinics, Abuja, has broken its silence on allegations of involvement in a transactional organ harvesting linked to a kidney transplant conducted at its facility, denying any involvement in the alleged deal.
The hospital said its role in the procedure was strictly limited to providing an equipped operating theatre and conducive environment, while a specialist medical team handled the donor and recipient.
In a statement signed by its Director of Administration, Mr Yemi Olatunbosun, and made available to journalists on Tuesday, Wellington Clinics said the kidney donor, identified in its records as Abubakar Hassan, was admitted on April 24, 2026, and underwent a left donor nephrectomy the same day.
The procedure, it said, was performed by a team led by Dr Benjamin Friday Oyimeh, Senior Consultant Nephrologist and Chief Executive Officer of Crown Medical and Kidney Centre.
The hospital explained that under its collaboration model with specialist teams, the lead consultant retains responsibility for patient recruitment, clinical evaluation, donor-recipient compatibility assessment, informed consent, ethical screening and other clinical and medico-legal matters.
It said the consultant and his team were responsible for ensuring compliance with the National Health Act 2014 and relevant guidelines of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN).
According to the hospital, the donor presented several documents on admission, including a court affidavit, digital National Identification Number (NIN) slip, birth certificate issued by the National Population Commission (NPC), affidavit of consent and statutory declaration of age.
“He was also accompanied by a man identified as Abubakar Isa, whom he described as his brother. The donor was admitted under the name Abubakar Hassan, with a date of birth of February 4, 2000, and hospital number WCA/8066/2026,” the hospital said.
The facility also stated that he was discharged on April 28, four days after the operation, but was readmitted on July 11 for wound management and removal of residual stitches. He was discharged two days later..
Wellington added that the kidney removed from the donor was immediately transplanted into a patient suffering from end-stage kidney failure, stressing that neither the donor nor recipient died as a result of the procedure.
The hospital firmly denied participating in, facilitating, negotiating or benefiting from any financial transaction relating to the transplant.
“Wellington Clinics did not participate, facilitate, negotiate, or benefit from any transactional arrangements,” the statement said.
The management maintained that it relied on the documents and declarations presented by the donor and medical team, adding that it had no independent means or legal duty to conduct forensic investigations into the relationship between the donor and recipient.
It said there was no indication at the time of admission that the documents were false or that the donor had misrepresented his identity.
The statement further alleged that the donor’s real name was Samuel Ezekiel, claiming that he had deposed to an affidavit before an FCT High Court in which he adopted the name Abubakar Hassan.
Wellington said the Nigeria Police Force was investigating the matter and that it was cooperating fully with the authorities.
Following the allegations, the hospital disclosed that it had suspended all renal transplant-related services pending the outcome of the investigation.
It reaffirmed its commitment to ethical and evidence-based healthcare, saying it would abide by the outcome of investigations by relevant authorities.
The hospital urged investigators to consider its records and documents, saying they could help clarify its role in the controversial kidney transplant.
