A panel led by former Supreme Court Justice Abdu Aboki, commissioned by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), has cleared the Nigerian military of accusations regarding forced abortions in the northeast. The investigation was launched in response to reports claiming that the military forced up to 10,000 women to undergo abortions between 2013 and 2021. However, the panel found no substantial evidence to support these allegations.
Hilary Ogbonna, the panel’s secretary, revealed that while the military was not involved in forced abortions, a non-governmental organization (NGO) was responsible for carrying out abortions in the region during that period. “There was no evidence before the panel to prove that the Nigerian Armed Forces committed systematic, secret, or policy-driven abortions in the northeast,” Ogbonna said, adding that the committee also found no proof of infanticide or mass child killings by the military.
Despite clearing the military of these grave allegations, the panel did not absolve all members of the Armed Forces. Specific soldiers were found responsible for the deaths of children in a 2016 incident in Marte Local Government Area, Borno State, where soldiers were accused of setting fire to a woman and her three children. The findings were based on witness testimonies, with the panel interviewing 199 people throughout its investigation.
The NHRC’s report, which clears the military of the most severe accusations but holds individual soldiers accountable for their actions, will likely prompt further legal action or investigations to ensure accountability. The commission’s decision aims to clarify the controversial claims while addressing human rights violations linked to the conflict in the region.
