U.N Secretary General Antonio Guterres urged Nigerian authorities Friday to probe allegations of coerced and systemic abortions allegedly perpetrated in Nigeria by the army.
Reuters published Wednesday’s report that Nigerian Army had been running a covert, systemic and illegal program of abortion in Nigeria’s northeast region since 2013.
According to Reuters’ review of dozens of documents and witness accounts, the programme resulted in terminating approximately 10,000 pregnancies. Many of these girls had been abducted and raped during their pregnancy.
Dujarric wrote in an email that Reuters: “The Secretary General takes note of the allegations regarding systemic and coerced abortions reportedly perpetrated allegedly by the Nigerian Army împotriva women and girls who were already victimized by Boko Haram,” Dujarric stated.
If necessary, he called for an investigation.
Dujarric said to reporters that he called on Nigerian authorities for an investigation into the allegations, and demanded accountability.
The defence chief of Nigeria said that the military would not investigate this report. He claimed it wasn’t true. Publicly, the Nigerian government hasn’t responded to this story.
Lai Mohammed, Nigeria’s Information Minister could not be reached immediately to comment on U.N. calls for an investigation.
