The report, published in late 2022, alleged that the military had run a secret abortion program targeting women impregnated by insurgents, claiming about 10,000 pregnancies were terminated.
The Nigerian military is set to take legal action against Reuters media organisation over a controversial report that falsely accused it of conducting forced abortions during counter-insurgency operations in the North East.
The report, published in late 2022, alleged that the military had run a secret abortion program targeting women impregnated by insurgents, claiming about 10,000 pregnancies were terminated.
General Christopher Musa, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), made this known while expressing his disapproval of the report.
He pointed out that a thorough 2024 investigation by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had cleared the military of any wrongdoing.
General Musa criticised Reuters for failing to retract the story or offer an apology, pointing out the harm it caused to the reputation of Nigeria and its military.
He expressed disappointment that, despite the findings of the investigation, Reuters had not taken accountability for the damage caused.
“After one and a half years of investigation, it was found that it was a complete lie. I was expecting Reuters to come in and apologise for it, but they did nothing. They did not even respond. After maligning the whole country, they have shown no accountability. I think it’s very important that Nigeria takes up this issue,” General Musa said.
The Chief of Defence Staff explained that he had engaged in discussions with the Attorney-General of the Federation regarding potential legal actions.
"I’ve spoken with the Attorney General, and it’s crucial that Nigeria takes action on this. We won’t let anyone undermine our troops or tarnish the country’s reputation," he stated.
He also pointed out that such accusations are often part of a wider effort to discredit the military's successes in the fight against terrorism.
"Whenever we make progress, it seems that international organisations try to demoralise the country and our troops. We have refused to be discouraged, and we will continue to stand strong," Musa said.
On November 8, 2024, SaharaReporters reported that Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) formed a special panel in February 2023 to investigate the explosive allegations made in the Reuters report.
The commission’s probe included extensive hearings held in both Abuja, the nation’s capital, and Borno State, a region heavily affected by Islamist insurgency and military operations.
The Reuters investigation had alleged that the Nigerian military conducted a systematic abortion programme, targeting women who had been impregnated by insurgents, while also engaging in child killings as part of its counter-insurgency campaign.
The Nigerian military has categorically denied all allegations, described the findings as "unfounded and malicious."
In December 2022, Reuters reported a military programme allegedly responsible for terminating over 10,000 pregnancies among women and girls, many of whom were victims of kidnapping and assault by Islamist militants.
In a separate report, Reuters documented accounts from over 40 soldiers and civilians who said they saw Nigerian military personnel killing children or found children's corpses following operations.
Boko Haram, an Islamist insurgency born in northeastern Nigeria two decades ago, was propelled into a violent insurgency following the 2009 death of its founder, Mohammed Yusuf, in police custody.
The group gained international attention in 2014 after abducting 276 schoolgirls from Chibok, prompting the #BringBackOurGirls campaign, with some of the abducted girls never recovered.
However, despite being weakened by military offensives and internal splits in 2016, Boko Haram remains a threat, carrying out deadly attacks on civilians and government targets.
The conflict has impacted tens of thousands of women and children, with many coerced into the insurgency as fighters or suicide bombers, according to human rights groups and academics.