Antonio Guterres, Secretary General to the United Nations has called on the Nigerian government to investigate allegations of systemic and coerced abortion.ms reportedly perpetrated by the Nigerian army on female Boko Haram victims
Recall that earlier reports by Reuters alleged that the Nigerian Army has been running a secret and illegal abortion programme in the North East region of Nigeria since 2013.
According to the report, the secret programme involved the army terminating at least 10,000 pregnancies among women and girls, who were victims of rape by members of the Boko Haram.
However, in a statement on Thursday, Nigeria’s defence chief said the claim was absurd and untrue.
In a statement by the U.N spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, on Friday, the UN secretary general urged the federal government to carry out a proper investigation into the matter.
“The Secretary-General takes note with concern of the allegations of systemic and coerced abortions reportedly perpetrated by the Nigerian Army against women and girls who had already been victimized by Boko Haram,” Dujarric said in an email to Reuters.
He called for a thorough investigation and “immediate remedial actions and accountability measures,” if such measures were necessary.
“We call on the Nigerian authorities to fully investigate these allegations and make sure there’s accountability,” Dujarric told reporters later on Friday.
Credit: Reuters