The management of Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, EKSUTH, Ado-Ekiti, has constituted a seven-man panel to investigate an allegation by a patient, Mr Joshua Afolayan, accusing hospital personnel of harvesting his kidney during a medical procedure at the hospital.
A statement by the Head, Corporate Affairs, EKSUTH, Mrs Rolake Adewumi on Thursday in Ado-Ekiti, said the hospital’s Board Chairman, Dr Adedamola Dada announced the setting up of the panel featuring Prof. Francis Faduyile, an Anatomic Pathologist at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, as the Chairman.
Other members include Prof. Patrick Adegun of the Federal University, Oye Ekiti; Dr Henry Abiyere, Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido–Ekiti; and Dr Adebola Adeniyi–Agbaje, General Manager, Progress F.M, Ado-Ekiti.
The panel also has Rev. Emmanuel Aribasoye, Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria, Ekiti State branch; Prof. Babatunde Akindele, the Elemo of Ado–Ekiti; and Mr Adebayo Titilayo, the Legal Adviser to Ekiti Ministry of Health, who will serve as Secretary.
The panel has ten days to submit its report as the hospital management reassure the public that no stone would be left unturned to determine the issues involved in the matter.
The statement noted that members of the panel are independent and responsible members of the society that would exhibit fairness and justice.
It urged all the affected parties to cooperate with the panel.
Also Read: UK courts jails Ekweremadu 10 years for organ harvest
Afolayan, a teacher employed by the Ekiti State government, had accused the hospital of removing his kidney during a medical procedure without his consent. According to social media reports circulating in the past few days, Afolayan claims he was a victim of kidney harvesting at the hospital following an accident in August 2024.
The Chief Medical Director of EKSUTH, Professor Kayode Olabanji had promptly denied the allegations and announced that the hospital management would provide free dialysis for the patient while the investigation proceeds.
The hospital was originally established in March 1971 as a General Hospital but was later upgraded and renamed as EKSUTH. The facility officially became a teaching hospital on January 14, 2008, as part of the establishment of the College of Medicine at Ekiti State University.
Credible News recalls that this is not the first time EKSUTH has faced allegations of medical negligence. In July 2025, a family alleged medical negligence at the hospital which it claimed led to the death of their loved one.
In September 2025, the Ekiti State Government condemned an assault on health workers at EKSUTH, highlighting ongoing tensions between patients’ relatives and medical staff. The government warned that attacks on healthcare workers threaten collective access to quality healthcare.
The hospital has also experienced labour disputes, with medical doctors and health workers embarking on strikes over various issues, though they have generally been resolved quickly.
Nigeria has been in international spotlight regarding organ trafficking, particularly following the 2023 conviction in the UK of Senator Ike Ekweremadu, his wife, and a doctor for organ trafficking. The case involved bringing a Nigerian man to the UK to provide a kidney for Ekweremadu’s daughter without proper consent.
The Ekweremadu case has heightened awareness about organ trafficking and raised concerns about medical ethics and informed consent in organ-related procedures across Nigerian healthcare institutions.
This case highlights ongoing challenges in Nigeria’s healthcare system, including issues of medical ethics, informed consent, and the need for transparent investigation mechanisms when serious allegations arise against medical institutions.
NAN
