The Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, ordered on Friday that the National Human Rights Commission look into the claims that the Nigerian Army had been carrying out a covert abortion program since at least 2013 for which over 10,000 pregnancies had been aborted.
Just 24 hours after, a coalition of more than 228 women’s rights organizations operating under the auspices of Womanifesto demanded an investigation into the alleged forced abortion of at least 10,000 pregnancies among women and girls who had been rescued.
In a statement released in Abuja, Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, convener of the Womanifesto and executive director of the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Center, urged the Federal Government to form a commission of inquiry.
She added that the government should act right away to prevent other young ladies from becoming new victims of unjustified and unlawful abortions everywhere in the nation.
10,000 women and girls are reportedly said to have been sexually assaulted by the Nigerian military after being raped by the Boko Haram terrorist organization.
However, the CDS denied that Nigerian soldiers were involved in such an act while paying Tony Ojukwu (SAN) a courtesy visit in Abuja. He added that the Army was prepared for an investigation.
Irabor said, “We have taken a look and felt that the right establishment that should undertake an investigation into it is the NHRC.
“When you look at it, you felt that this certainly is not us and it does not represent the professional standing of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.”
According to him, such an act, as described by Reuters, does not accurately represent the professional participation of the Nigerian Army throughout the entire nation, not just in the North East, where the Army has a footprint of operations in accordance with the constitution.
“At first, we felt there are some extra-territorial powers that want to whittle the strength of the Armed Forces being at the war front in a current engagement that seeks to bring peace into our land and so, some action needs to be taken”, he said.
According to him, the NHRC should look into the charges made against the Nigerian Armed Forces by Reuters as a government body responsible for ensuring that citizens’ basic human rights were not violated.
“It is in that light that I have come to formally inform you if perhaps, you are not thinking about it”, he said and assured the commission of the cooperation of the Armed Forces in the course of the investigation
The CDS said, “I assure you of unfettered access, we will grant you access to all our establishments across the country.
“Our door is open to you as you so desire in the course of any investigation you may want to conduct. I am also assuring you that if you require to invite any of our officers, they will be available for you to also ask them questions that you think will be appropriate in the light of the allegations that have been given.
“We are doing this because we remain very transparent in our official engagement and we have nothing to fear.”
Irabor claimed that in accordance with international humanitarian law and other pertinent statutes that were seized, the Nigerian Armed Forces had codified their different operating rules and regulations as well as rules of engagement.
The CDS claimed that over time, the Armed Forces had become aware of the very important roles played by the NHRC and the contributions it was making to ensuring that the military complied with local laws.
In his answer, Ojukwu stated that the NHRC’s decision to look into the claims in the Reuters story due to its potential consequences for human rights was consistent with the Defence Chief’s request.
He informed his visitor that the commission’s inquiry procedure had to adhere to the high standards for international human rights that Irabor had demanded.
According to him, the probe must be open to the public, transparent, adhere to the principles of due process, accountability, and non-discrimination, and the panel must take truthfulness of interest into account.
Ojukwu stated that the commission would shortly announce additional steps toward the panel of investigation into the Reuters report’s formation.
