Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) is set to release its findings from an investigation into allegations that the military operated a covert and illegal abortion program and killed children as part of its fight against Islamist insurgents in the northeast.
The report, based on a Reuters investigation from December 2022, claims the military ran a systematic program to terminate over 10,000 pregnancies, many resulting from kidnappings and assaults by militants.
In response, the NHRC, which is government-appointed, established a special panel in February 2023 to examine these claims.
The commission held public hearings in Abuja and Borno state, gathering testimonies and evidence.
While the Nigerian military has consistently denied the allegations, the NHRC will now reveal its findings and recommendations in a public session in Abuja on Friday.
Past criticisms of the NHRC have centered on its limited ability to enforce accountability, with rights activists pointing to its lack of success in prosecuting officials accused of abuses.
However, the NHRC has taken strong stances in the past, such as its role in the 2020 investigation that led to the disbanding of the notorious Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). Following the SARS protests, a state panel, backed by the NHRC, found security forces responsible for civilian deaths, although the government ultimately disputed the panel’s conclusions.
The NHRC’s report on the military’s alleged abortion program is anticipated amid heightened international scrutiny.
The results will likely impact Nigeria’s reputation and influence future approaches to both military and human rights accountability in the region.