A Human Rights advocacy group, Women Concerns, has called on Reuters News Agency to apologise to the Nigerian military over unsubstantiated allegations of forced abortion in its counter-insurgency operations in the North East.
The Convener of the group, Aishatu Balarabe, made the call in a statement on Monday in Abuja.
Balarabe said that the international news agency falsely alleged that the military deliberately attacked women and children or carried out secret abortions in its fight against Islamist insurgency.
She said that the Reuters report had been discredited by the Nigeria’s Human Rights Commission (NHRC) after it carried out thorough investigation which found “no evidence” of the allegations.
“According to the NHRC there is no evidence to establish that the Nigerian military conducted a secret abortion programme in the north-east, ending pregnancies of thousands of women and girls freed from insurgent captivity,” she said.
Balarabe urged Reuters not to continue to hold on to a report that could not be proven, but apologise to the military instead, adding that the NHRC report was an indictment of the Reuters report.
She condemned the deliberate attempts to malign the Armed Forces of Nigeria, saying the news organisation should use its channels to support ongoing operations in affected areas in Nigeria.
“Reuters should stop carrying unbalanced stories, which can mar the efforts of the Nigerian military.
“Women Concerns have done its investigation, using the local people in the North East Nigeria.
“Our investigation showed that Reuters report cannot be substantiated and rather than holding on to this, we call on Reuters to apologise to the Military.
“What Nigeria, especially the military needs right now is support and moral boosters to bring the security challenges to an end.
“We are confident that despite the activities of war mongers, the Armed Forces of Nigeria under the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, will continue to deal with those who don’t want peace and progress,” the Group added.
The Defence Headquarters had in a statement on Saturday, commended the commission for carrying out a painstaking investigation and exonerating the military.
The CDS commended the 7- man panel led by retired Justice Abdu Aboki for painstakingly carrying out a thorough job since its inauguration in March 2023 by the Nigerian Human Rights Commission.
He reaffirms the commitment of the armed forces to the defence of human rights and resolve to ensure that peace reigns in the country.
According to him, no amount of false accusations will distract the armed forces from exercising its constitutional mandate of protecting the territorial integrity of the nation.
NAN reports that the National Human Rights Commission’s (NHRC) special investigative panel on human rights violations, in counter-insurgency operations in the Northeast exonerated the Nigerian military of alleged gross human violation in the northeast
The seven-member panel chaired by a former Supreme Court judge, Justice Abdul Aboki investigated the allegations leveled against the Nigerian military by Reuters
Reuters had alleged that the military committed human rights violations and abuses in the northeast such as forced abortions on women, extrajudicial killings.
In February 2023 a panel was inaugurated by the NHRC to investigate the allegations.
By Sumaila Ogbaje, NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA