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February 1, 2023
Recall that a report by the Reuters had alleged that the Nigerian Army had been running a secret abortion programme for rescued women and girls for which about 10,000 pregnancies have been aborted since 2013. But the military had denied the report.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has said that it has begun an investigation into the allegation that the Nigerian Army has been running a secret abortion programme for female officers since 2013.
Recall that a report by the Reuters had alleged that the Nigerian Army had been running a secret abortion programme for rescued women and girls for which about 10,000 pregnancies have been aborted since 2013. But the military had denied the report.
The Executive Secretary of NHRC, Tony Ojukwu (SAN) on Tuesday in a statement issued by the Deputy Director of Public Affairs and External Linkages, Fatimah Agwai Mohammed, said that the commission would Tuesday, February 7, 2023, inaugurate a Special Independent Investigative Panel on Human Rights Violations in the Implementation of Counter Insurgency Operations in the North-East.
According to Ojukwu, the panel will among other things “Focus on investigating the Reuters report which alleged that the Nigerian military was involved in abortion of many pregnancies in the North-East in the last 10 years.”
The statement noted that members of the panel are retired Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Abdu Aboki, (Chairman); Ms Kemi Okonyedo (representing women rights organisations); Azubuike Nwankenta (representing the Nigerian Bar Association); a military law and intelligence expert, Major-General Letam Wiwa (retd.).
Other members of the panel are consultant in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Modibbo Adama University Teaching Hospital, Yola, Dr Maisaratu Bakari; humanitarian expert (representing civil society), Dr. Fatima Akilu and psychologist (representing youths), Ms Halima Nuradeen.
Recall that the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, had on Friday, December 17, 2022, during a visit to the commission, demanded an investigation into the Reuters report.
Similarly, a coalition of over 228 women’s rights organisations under the aegis of Womanifesto, requested an investigation of the reported forced abortion.
The convener of Womanifesto and Executive Director of Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre, Dr Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, reportedly made the demand in a statement issued in Abuja, with a call on the Nigerian Government to institute a panel of inquiry.