Wellington Clinics Denies Role in Alleged Kidney Transaction, Suspends Transplant Services

Wellington Clinics, Abuja, has denied any involvement in alleged financial dealings surrounding a kidney transplant involving a donor at the facility, insisting that its role was limited to providing an operating theatre and other medical infrastructure for the procedure.

The clinic said it has also suspended all renal transplant-related services pending the conclusion of investigations by relevant authorities into the circumstances surrounding the transplant.

The controversy centres on a kidney donor identified in hospital records as Abubakar Hassan, whose identity has become part of an ongoing investigation into alleged transactional organ harvesting.

In a statement signed by the clinic’s Director of Administration, Yemi Olatunbosun, and made available to journalists on Tuesday, Wellington Clinics said the donor nephrectomy was performed on April 24, 2026, under the supervision of a licensed senior consultant nephrologist.

The hospital said the procedure was conducted by a specialist team led by Dr Benjamin Friday Oyimeh, Senior Consultant Nephrologist and Chief Executive Officer of Crown Medical and Kidney Centre.

According to Wellington, its involvement was based on a pre-agreed facility rental arrangement, under which the clinic provided an equipped operating theatre and a suitable environment for the specialist team to carry out the procedure.

Clinic: Specialist Team Responsible For Donor, Recipient

The facility said that under its collaboration model with specialist medical teams, the lead consultant retains responsibility for patient recruitment, clinical assessment, donor-recipient compatibility checks, informed consent, ethical screening and other clinical and medico-legal obligations.

It further said the specialist team was responsible for ensuring compliance with applicable provisions of the National Health Act 2014 and relevant professional guidelines.

Wellington stated that the donor presented several documents when he was admitted, including a court affidavit, digital National Identification Number slip, birth certificate issued by the National Population Commission, affidavit of consent and statutory declaration of age.

The clinic said the donor was also accompanied by a man identified as Abubakar Isa, whom the donor presented as his brother.

According to the hospital’s records, the donor was admitted as Abubakar Hassan, with a date of birth of February 4, 2000, and hospital number WCA/8066/2026.

He was discharged on April 28, four days after the operation.

Wellington said the donor later returned to the facility on July 11 for wound management and removal of residual stitches and was discharged two days later.

The clinic said the donor had explained that he had travelled and was therefore unable to attend some earlier scheduled follow-up appointments.

Kidney Transplanted Into Patient

The hospital stated that the kidney removed from the donor was immediately transplanted into a patient suffering from end-stage kidney failure.

It stressed that neither the donor nor recipient died as a result of the procedure.

Wellington strongly denied participating in, facilitating, negotiating or benefiting from any alleged financial arrangement connected to the transplant.

“Wellington Clinics did not participate, facilitate, negotiate, or benefit from any transactional arrangements,” the statement said.

The clinic maintained that it relied on the identification documents, declarations and other information supplied by the donor and the specialist medical team.

It argued that it had no independent means, or legal obligation, to conduct forensic investigations into the personal relationship between a donor and recipient beyond the identification and declarations presented to the facility.

Hospital Says It Was Unaware of Identity Allegations

The clinic also denied having prior knowledge that the donor may have misrepresented his identity.

It said there was no indication at the time of admission that the documents presented were fraudulent or that the donor had provided a false identity.

“Since the records department of Wellington relied on the above documents submitted on admission, as per the current level of practice, we were not aware or suspicious of any misrepresentation or manipulation of identity at the time,” the statement said.

The hospital added that it was unaware of any financial or other transactional relationship involving the nephrology team, the donor or any other person connected with the case.

According to the clinic, the donor was simply documented as a consenting adult donor.

Renal Services Suspended

Following the emergence of the allegations, Wellington Clinics said it immediately suspended all renal transplant-related services while investigations continue.

The clinic said it remains committed to ethical, evidence-based healthcare and would cooperate fully with investigative and regulatory authorities.

It also pledged to abide by the outcome of the investigation.

The facility urged authorities investigating the case to consider the medical records and documents in its possession, saying they could help clarify the extent of its involvement in the transplant.

The Nigeria Police Force is reportedly investigating the circumstances surrounding the case and is expected to make its findings public.

The controversy comes amid renewed concerns over safeguards surrounding organ donation and transplantation in Nigeria, particularly the need to protect vulnerable donors from coercion, exploitation and alleged financial inducement.