Reuters did not appear before a panel set up by the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, to investigate the media organisation’s report that the Nigerian Military ran a secret mass abortion programme in the war against Boko Haram.
In a report published in December 2022, Reuters said its investigations revealed that, from around 2013, the Nigerian military conducted “a secret, systematic and illegal abortion programme” in Borno State and other parts of the North-East, leading to the termination “at least 10,000 pregnancies among women and girls”.
According to the report, many of the pregnant women had been kidnapped and raped by Islamist militants.
Quoting witnesses, the report said those who resisted the forced abortions were beaten, held at gunpoint or drugged into compliance.
Nigerian military authorities denied the report.
The National Human Rights Commission, in February 2023, announced that it had set up a panel to investigate the report.
The panel is known as Special Independent Investigative Panel (SIIP) on Human Rights Violations in Counter Insurgency Operations in North-East Nigeria.
The panel was mandated to: “Investigate allegations of gross violations of national and international human rights laws/principles alleged against the Nigerian Armed Forces in the three reports by Reuters. (Sections 5(a)(b)(j) and 6(1)(a) of the NHRC Act, 2010).
“Receive memorandum from individuals and organisations with interest in the subject matter of the mandate of the SIIP North-East, especially human rights, security and humanitarian organisations working in the North-East.
“Make appropriate determinations as to culpability of individuals or institutions as may be deemed necessary in each circumstance. (Section 5(j) of the NHRC Act 2010).
“Make determination as to the damages or compensation payable in relation to any violation of human rights where it deems this necessary in the circumstances of the case (Section 6(e) of the NHRC Act, 2010).
“Refer any matter of human rights violations requiring prosecution to the Attorney General of the Federation or of a State, as the case may be. (Section 5(p) of the NHRC Act, 2010).”
The NHRC announced in March 2024 that it had concluded hearings as part of the investigation.
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