FG Rubbishes Reuters Report Of Illegal Abortion Conducted For IDPs

The federal government has debunked allegations made by Reuters in its investigative report that it carried out forced abortion for women forced into terrorist activities.

Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture, made the rebuttal on Monday.

In the report, the Nigerian military was said to have conducted a secret abortion programme in the country’s north-east, ending at least 10,000 pregnancies among victims of insurgency.

But Lai said the report is a strategy to set the world against Nigeria and cut off the support that is critical to crushing terrorists.

He said Reuters made the allegation without evidence, citing only anonymous sources and the reported review of phantom “documents”.

“The agency claimed that its investigation was based on interviews with 33 women and girls,” Lai said.

“How do they use interview with 33 women and girls to arrive at the bogus claim of 10,000 abortions?

He said Reuters made the allegation without evidence, citing only anonymous sources and the reported review of phantom “documents”.

“The agency claimed that its investigation was based on interviews with 33 women and girls,” Lai said.

“How do they use interview with 33 women and girls to arrive at the bogus claim of 10,000 abortions?

“And in a further indication that the figure of abortions quoted was arbitrary or possibly conjured, the agency first put the figure at 12,000 before settling for 10,000,” he said.

Mohammed reiterated the federal government’s position that there was no “secret, systematic and illegal abortion programme” being run by the military in the country.

He queried the basis for the investigation at a time the military is recording successes, decimating the terrorists and rescuing abducted persons.