A banker, Malam Sabi’u Usman Saurayi, has told of his close shave with death in the hands of organ harvesters.
Sabi’u is a resident of Nassarawo community in Gombe State.
The 29-year-old in an interview with The Guardian said he was kidnapped last week by organ harvesters whose aim was to harvest his kidney.
Leading up to the banker’s abduction, as per the account he gave the publication: he was down with malaria and had asked a commercial motorcyclist to drop him in the hospital.
His situation, he said worsen on their way following which the rider dropped him to enable him stabilise.
At that point, a stranger, he said, appeared to offer him a ride in his car and even called his name, which convinced him the motorist was someone that was acquainted with him.
More to the point, Sabi’u has worked with various banks, including Access Bank, Polaris Bank, and TAJ Bank, so he thought the driver was one of his customers and agreed to the offer.
Unknown to him, the driver was not alone in the car, as there were two other men in the back seat who aided in his abduction.
“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,” he narrated.
The captors collected his blood, saliva, and urine samples, apparently planning to harvest his kidney. According to him, a medical doctor was also involved in the sinister plot by reviewing his test results and scheduling surgery for Monday in Kaduna State. He said he was abducted last week Friday and escaped on Saturday night.
“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,” he stated.
Determined to escape, Sabi’u waited until his captors left, then broke through the ceiling and crawled to freedom. He cautioned other residents of the state seeking medical help not to go out alone to prevent themselves from falling victim to such rogues taking advantage of their weaknesses.
