Gombe Banker Recounts Narrow Escape From Organ Harvesters

Malam Sabi’u Usman Saurayi, a 29-year-old banker residing in the Nassarawo community in Gombe State capital, has recounted his terrifying escape from organ harvesters who tried to take his kidney.

The banker was kidnapped last week by abductors who sought to harvest his kidney.
Sharing his experience yesterday, June 5, Sabi’u said he narrowly escaped death after being abducted, drugged, and held captive for his kidney.

He disclosed that his ordeal started when he became ill with a fever and took a commercial motorcycle.

However, his health deteriorated, leading the motorcyclist to leave him on the road to stabilize and seek another ride.

Sabi’u said a stranger later approached him, offering a ride in his car. He mentioned that he initially felt at ease entering the car because he heard the driver calling his name.

He presumed the driver might be a customer from one of the banks he had worked at and accepted the ride.

Unbeknownst to him, the driver was accompanied by two other men in the back seat who assisted in his abduction.

He said: “The two men in the back seat immediately pulled me to the centre and forced a long beanie over my head, covering my face. We drove for about 25 minutes. When the cap was finally removed, I found myself in an unfamiliar room with three men surrounding me.

“One of them, wearing a face mask and medical gloves, opened a kit, pulled out a syringe, and took my blood. He also forced me to give a saliva sample by pressing my jaw and collecting it in a small container. Then he asked for a urine sample.

“I told him I did not feel the urge, but he insisted. One of the men, a tall, heavy-set individual, struck me twice in the back. The pain and fear triggered an immediate urge, and I had no choice but to comply. I gave the sample. They offered me food, which I refused. I was scared and confused, still burning with fever.

“I noticed a wall clock; it was 11:20 a.m. They left me locked in the room and did not return until late that night, around 10:00 p.m., with food and water. Again, I refused to eat.”

The captors gathered his blood, saliva, and urine samples, evidently planning to harvest his kidney.

According to him, a medical doctor was also implicated in the sinister scheme by reviewing his test results and scheduling surgery for Monday, June 2, in Kaduna State. He said he was abducted last week Friday, May 30, and escaped on Saturday night, May 31.

He continued: “When I realised they were planning to transport me to Kaduna to surgically remove my kidney and sell it, a wave of fear surged through me. My heart began to race uncontrollably. I knew, without a doubt, that I had to find a way to escape or I might not live to tell the story.

“That night, after they all left with the doctor, I gathered what little strength I had left and began inspecting the room. The doors were solid, and the windows were tightly secured with reinforced burglar-proof bars. Then, as I looked upward, I noticed the ceiling was made of a thin, rubber-like material, not as strong as the rest of the room.”

Sabi’u said he waited until his captors were gone, then broke through the ceiling and escaped to safety.

The Gombe State Police spokesperson, Buhari Abdullahi, confirmed reports of organ harvesting in the state, according to Guardian.

He reported a tragic and deeply disturbing case involving the alleged abduction and brutal murder of a six-year-old boy, Muhammad Ibrahim Bulama, from Bura-Bunga village in Bojude, Gombe State, by eight suspects. He noted that the suspects confessed to the heinous act for money-making purposes (money ritual).

“Sometime in mid-February 2025, the grandfather of the deceased discovered that the boy had not slept in the house. His absence sparked immediate concern, and a search commenced.

“Two suspects were arrested and transferred to the Anti-Kidnapping Squad for further investigation,” he said.

He added that, based on reliable intelligence, the Anti-Kidnapping Squad of the police took swift action and successfully arrested an additional six suspects linked to the heinous crime.

Buhari stated that one suspect confessed to receiving the victim from his accomplice and killing him with a knife in the bush at the Wuro-Doya area. They then divided the body into two equal parts, disposing of the upper half (from the waist upwards) into a well and delivering the lower half (from the waist downwards) to his crime partner.

He encouraged residents to stay vigilant and continue cooperating with security agencies by providing valuable information to help combat criminal activities throughout the state.

A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.

Nnamdi Okoli