The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has dismissed allegations that the Nigerian military was involved in forcefully aborting pregnancies among women impregnated by Boko Haram insurgents in Northern Nigeria.
A Reuters report from February 2022 had alleged that the military conducted a secret abortion program as part of its counter-insurgency efforts in the northeast, terminating at least 10,000 pregnancies among women and girls.
Speaking on a Television programme General Musa refuted these claims, describing them as baseless and part of a smear campaign orchestrated by some non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with ulterior motives.
“I wish you could call them now and ask that question. I was the theatre commander when this accusation surfaced, and it was deeply upsetting. I realized most of these organizations do not mean well for us,” he said.
He argued that such allegations often emerge when the military makes significant progress, aiming to tarnish its image and demoralize troops.
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) later constituted an independent panel to probe the allegations. According to General Musa, the panel found no evidence of wrongdoing by the military.
He also noted that the military granted the panel unrestricted access during the investigation, which lasted over a year.
General Musa called for a public apology from those who made the allegations, adding that the military had approached the Attorney General to pursue legal action against the accusers.
