…Suspends renal transplant services By Chidinma Chukwu ABUJA — Wellington Clinics, Abuja, has denied involvement in any financial transaction linked to a controversial kidney transplant performed at its facility, saying its role was limited to providing an equipped theatre and a conducive environment for the procedure.
The hospital said the transplant was conducted by an independent specialist medical team led by Dr Benjamin Friday Oyimeh, Senior Consultant Nephrologist and Chief Executive Officer of Crown Medical and Kidney Centre, which it said retained responsibility for the recruitment, evaluation and screening of the donor and recipient.
In a statement signed by its Director of Administration, Mr Yemi Olatunbosun, and made available to journalists on Tuesday, Wellington Clinics said it neither participated in, facilitated, negotiated nor benefited from any transactional arrangement relating to the transplant. The hospital said the kidney donor, identified in its records as Abubakar Hassan, was admitted on April 24, 2026, and underwent a left donor nephrectomy the same day.
It explained that, under its collaboration model with specialist medical teams, the lead consultant is responsible for patient recruitment, clinical assessment, donor-recipient compatibility, informed consent, ethical screening and other clinical and medico-legal requirements. According to the hospital, the consultant and his team were also responsible for ensuring compliance with the National Health Act 2014 and relevant guidelines of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, MDCN.
Wellington said the donor presented several documents at the point of admission, including a court affidavit, digital National Identification Number, NIN, slip, birth certificate issued by the National Population Commission, NPC, affidavit of consent and statutory declaration of age. “He was also accompanied by a man identified as Abubakar Isa, whom he described as his brother. The donor was admitted under the name Abubakar Hassan, with a date of birth of February 4, 2000,