In a deeply troubling turn of events, a driver, Mr. Chimobi Nwoko, has come forward with harrowing allegations against his employer, simply identified as Mr. Akazue. Nwoko claims that he was deceitfully convinced to donate one of his kidneys to Akazue’s younger brother, Osinachi, with the promise of significant compensation—a promise that, according to Nwoko, has gone unfulfilled.

Narrating his ordeal on Tuesday, Nwoko disclosed that Akazue had assured him of a compensation package that included $20 million, a house, and a driving job in the United States. This assurance reportedly played a pivotal role in persuading Nwoko to undergo the kidney transplant, which took place on December 22, 2018, at a well-known hospital in Lagos State.

Nwoko’s situation took a sinister turn, as he claimed that prior to the surgery, Akazue had warned him against informing any of his family members. Furthermore, the distressed donor stated that Akazue had enlisted his younger sister, Deborah, to impersonate his wife, signing the consent form at the hospital on the donor’s behalf. Nwoko alleged that after the transplant and his discharge from the hospital, Akazue moved him into a one-room apartment in Mowe. Even more concerning, just one week after the surgical procedure, Akazue reportedly ordered Nwoko to return to work, despite his ongoing recovery.

Life since the transplant has been nothing short of a nightmare for Nwoko. He claims to be persistently fatigued and significantly less agile than before the procedure. To compound his misery, he stated that Akazue and his family have shown little to no concern for his health since his discharge.

Recounting the events leading up to the kidney transplant, Nwoko revealed, “I was employed as a driver for Mr. Akazue in November 2018. His brother, Osinachi, had a kidney issue, so when my boss traveled, I was driving his brother to the hospital for dialysis every three days. When my boss returned, he called me into his office and told me that his brother’s kidney had failed.”

Nwoko continued, “He said in the next one or two weeks, his brother may die. He asked if I would like to donate one of my kidneys for his brother and said if I donated the kidney, he would give me $20 million, a house in America, and will also get me a driving job in America. I said I would do it, and the next day, we went to the hospital where they ran tests and told me my kidney would match his. The next day, Akazue’s brothers, another of his in-laws, one Mr. Joe, and I went back to the hospital, we stayed three days after which the surgery was done.”

Despite Nwoko’s sacrifice, he soon discovered that Akazue had no intentions of honoring his promises. “All the promises my boss made me, he didn’t fulfill them. Whenever I asked my boss about it, he’d tell me not to worry, that I was still in his mind,” Nwoko lamented. It was only on October 13, 2023, that Nwoko confided in his parents about his dire situation.

In an additional twist, Nwoko revealed that his salary had been raised to N70,000 after the transplant, but he was consistently penalized with a deduction of N30,000 if he missed any workdays.

Taking action to address these grievous allegations, Nwoko’s family lodged a complaint with the Zone 2 Command, leading to the arrest of Akazue on Sunday, October 22. Nwoko’s counsel, Abdullai Dania, categorizes this case as one of organ theft, alleging that “his kidney was taken from him deceitfully and fraudulently.” Dania demanded compensation, stating, “If he is going to settle this matter, he should pay N500 million to the victim. If he won’t, we will take legal action while the criminal aspect will go on.”

Efforts to reach the kidney recipient, Osinachi, were met with unresponsiveness, as both of his phone numbers were switched off at the time of contact.

When approached for comment, the Public Relations Officer of the Zone 2 Command, Hauwa Idris-Adamu, assured she would provide further information but has not yet done so as of the time of this report. Subsequent attempts to reach her have been unanswered, and she did not reply to text messages seeking updates on Nwoko’s case.