By: Babagana Bukar Wakil, Maiduguri
The National Human Rights Commission NHRC has officially cleared the Nigerian military of allegations in a December 2022 Reuters report, which claimed the military carried out around 10,000 illegal abortions in the North-East as part of a secret programme.
In response to the allegations, the NHRC formed a Special Independent Investigative Panel led by retired Supreme Court Justice Abdul Aboki. The Commission announced on Monday that, after thorough investigations, it found no evidence supporting claims of a hidden military abortion programme or any policy targeting women and girls in the region.
Reuters alleged the programme involved forced abortions on victims of insurgent attacks, including minors, often without their consent. However, the NHRC’s investigation, based on extensive witness testimonies, found no support for these allegations.
NHRC Senior Adviser Hillary Ogbonna further clarified that abortions are illegal in Nigerian hospitals except for specific medical procedures. From 2013 to 2023, hospitals in the North-East documented 5,945 cases of manual procedures used in miscarriage management, not elective abortions.
Ogbonna noted that whistleblower testimonies indicated the involvement of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in an abortion programme in the North-East from 2014 to 2015. However, MSF declined to participate in the Commission’s investigation.
The NHRC also addressed allegations of military actions targeting children due to suspected Boko Haram associations, finding no evidence to support these claims.
Ogbonna explained that testimonies from military and civilian sources, including women and children, instead highlighted efforts to provide care for those in military and IDP camps.
In a separate finding, the NHRC panel held the military accountable for incidents in Borno State in 2016, where it found credible evidence of infanticide and killings in Abisare village, New Mountain Local Government Area. The NHRC recommended government compensation for the victims and families involved.
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