The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Akwa Ibom State Zonal Command, has clarified a statement credited to it regarding allegations of organ harvesting by some hospitals in the state.

Mrs. Eme Ukpabio, the Head of Public Enlightenment at NAPTIP, had, during a stakeholders? event marking the 2025 National Human Trafficking Awareness Day in Uyo, mentioned that a suspect had been arrested in connection with organ harvesting and that there were suspicions of clinics and hospitals engaging in such activities in the state.

In a clarification issued on Monday in Uyo, Ukpabio stated that her comments were misinterpreted. She explained that her intention was to draw stakeholders? attention to the evolving nature of human trafficking in Nigeria, not to accuse any specific entity in Akwa Ibom of organ harvesting.

?My statement on the organ harvesting syndicate was intended to draw the attention of stakeholders to the dynamism and evolving nature of human trafficking in all the states in Nigeria and globally.

?It was to highlight the need for collective efforts of all stakeholders, including sister law enforcement agencies, CSOs, development partners, state and non-state actors, among others. NAPTIP never accused any entity within the state of organ harvesting. My statement was meant to convey the suspicion of organ harvesting in the state, as is the case in other states across Nigeria,? Ukpabio said.

Addressing claims that 750,000 to 1,000,000 people are trafficked from Akwa Ibom, Ukpabio clarified that the figures were based on a June 2023 report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). The report indicated that between 750,000 and 1,000,000 individuals are trafficked annually from Nigeria. She noted that Akwa Ibom is one of the states affected by this issue.

As an Akwa Ibomite, Ukpabio emphasized her commitment to upholding the state?s reputation and the agency?s integrity.

?I will not do anything to demean my state or my agency. NAPTIP Uyo Command has enjoyed unparalleled collaboration and support from the state government in tackling human trafficking issues,? she stated.

Ukpabio added that the agency would continue to work closely with the state government, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), the Network Against Child Trafficking, Abuse, and Labour (NACTAL), and religious organizations to combat human trafficking and related issues effectively. (Vanguard)