Reuters News Agency has released a report of forced abortions for rescued pregnant women and girls seized by armed terrorist groups in northeast Nigeria.
The report which covers the period from 2013 to November, 2021 and published on 7 December, 2022 documented at least 10,000 of such illegal abortions.
The programme was allegedly operated by the Nigerian Army.
Pregnancies from a few weeks to eight months were terminated in the period on women and girls rescued from Boko Haram captivity.
Some of the girls were as young as 12 years old.
The opinion of the victims was most of the time not sought. Those who knew and objected were beaten and drugged before the procedure was carried out.
Reuters said its investigation team spoke with 33 victims of the illegal abortion programme in northeast Nigeria, five civilian health workers involved and nine security personnel who aided the programme.
The names of the drugs commonly used were given as Misoprostol, Mifepristone and Oxytocin.
Most of the abortions were by oral administration of the pills or by injection.
Some of the abortions were also done by surgical procedures.
The report listed some of the facilities used as Giwa barracks and Maimalari barracks in Maiduguri.
The Nigerian Defence headquarters has denounced the report as “cruel” and an act of “wickedness.”
Major General Jimmy Akpor, Director of Defence Information, denied that such acts were ever committed by the Nigerian Army which he described as very professional.
