In recent years, human rights advocates and investigative journalists have raised serious concerns about alleged organ trafficking networks operating in Nigeria. According to multiple survivor testimonies and NGO reports, these criminal groups are accused of targeting vulnerable individuals—particularly members of the LGBTQ+ community—through online romance scams.
The alleged method is disturbingly systematic. Victims report being contacted through dating apps and social media platforms by individuals posing as romantic partners. These scammers invest weeks or months building emotional trust, often exploiting loneliness, secrecy, and the lack of safe spaces for LGBTQ+ people in the country. Once trust is established, victims are invited to meet in person, sometimes under the pretext of travel, business opportunities, or medical assistance.
What follows, according to allegations, is a nightmare. Some victims claim they were drugged, abducted, and later discovered they had undergone non-consensual surgical procedures, resulting in the loss of organs such as kidneys. Others report waking up in unfamiliar locations, injured and abandoned, with little memory of what happened. Due to fear, trauma, and social stigma, many cases go unreported.
A critical factor worsening the situation is Nigeria’s legal environment. Same-sex relationships are criminalized under the Same-Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act, making LGBTQ+ individuals vulnerable not only to criminals but also to state persecution. Victims report that approaching the police often leads to harassment, arrest, or further victimization rather than protection. As a result, many choose silence over seeking justice.
Law enforcement inaction, or perceived indifference, has drawn sharp criticism from international observers. While Nigerian authorities officially deny systematic organ trafficking, activists argue that the lack of transparent investigations and victim protection mechanisms allows criminal networks to operate with impunity.
Faced with domestic legal barriers and social hostility, affected individuals and advocacy groups are increasingly calling for international intervention. Appeals have been made to organizations such as the United Nations, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and international medical ethics bodies. They are asking for independent investigations, cross-border cooperation to combat trafficking networks, and asylum protections for those at risk.
This situation highlights a broader global issue: how criminal enterprises exploit marginalized communities where discrimination, criminalization, and fear of authorities create ideal conditions for abuse. Whether all allegations are eventually substantiated or not, the voices of survivors underscore an urgent need for accountability, legal reform, and international oversight.
Until LGBTQ+ individuals can seek help without fear of punishment, experts warn that silence will continue to protect perpetrators, and vulnerable lives will remain at risk.
