NHRC to Present Report on Abortion Allegations Against Nigerian Military

Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) will on Friday present its findings regarding Reuters’ reports, which found the military ran a secretive yet illegal abortion programme and massacred children in its fight against Islamist insurgents in the northeast.

The NHRC, through its head of corporate affairs, Obinna Jude Nwakonye, announced on Thursday its readiness to unveil to the public its investigation outcomes and recommendations in Abuja, following the formation of a special panel in February 2023 to probe Reuters’ findings against the military’s covert operations.

NHRC had initially conducted hearings regarding the case in Abuja and northeastern Borno state as the Nigerian military, on December 8, 2022, denied Reuters’ findings a day after publication.

Nigeria’s Retired Defence Chief, General Lucky Irabor, described the alleged mass abortion as “untrue”.

Read Also: Atiku Warns Nigerian Military Against Use of Lethal Force on Peaceful Protesters

Nigerians React As Slapped Bolt Driver Apologises to Abia Lawmaker

The “untrue” reports found, based on witness accounts and documentation, that the military abortion programme involved terminating at least 10,000 pregnancies among women and girls, many of whom had been kidnapped and raped by Islamist militants.

In a separate report by Reuters, over 40 soldiers and civilians testified to the news agency they witnessed the Nigerian military kill children or saw children’s corpses after a military operation aimed at combating the Islamist terror movement Boko Haram in the northeast.

According to the news agency, NHRC’s Nwakonye, who had sent out invites for the media in Abuja to be able to inform the public of its concluded findings or recommendations, was unable to be reached for comments before the presentation.

About The Author

Mayowa Durosinmi

author

M. Durosinmi is a West Africa Weekly investigative reporter covering Politics, Human Rights, Health, and Security in West Africa and the Sahel Region

See author's posts