New Report Vindicates Nigerian Military on Reuters' Claim on Young Girls in Northeast
- The recent report by an international news agency, Reuters against the Nigerian Military has been debunked by the Centre for International And Strategic Studies (CISS)
- The reports stated that Reuters' claim that the Military carries out systemic illegal abortions on young girls affected by Boko Haram is false and should be disregarded
- According to the report, international non-governmental organisations with a focus to ensure that families and women have children by choice and not by chance are responsible for illegal abortions among girls in the northeast
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A new report by the Centre for International And Strategic Studies (CISS), has exonerated the Nigerian Military from the allegations of illicit abortion levelled against the force by an International news agency, Reuters.
The news agency had claimed in a December 7, publication claimed that the Nigerian Army had since 2013, "conducted a secret, systematic and illegal abortion programme in the country’s Northeast region.
Source: UGC
The report by Reuters also said that through its action, the Nigerian Army has at least ended 10,000 pregnancies among women and girls who have been victims of insurgency.
However, in a report presented in Abuja, on Wednesday, December 21, CISS alleged that a British Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Marie Stopes International Organisation Nigeria (MSION), is the mastermind of the illicit abortion programme in the Northeast region.
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In an annual report on The Federal Government's War Against Insecurity/Insurgency In Nigeria by the CISS, in collaboration with the Coalition Of Civil Society Organizations On Rights And Security (CCSOHRS), the centre dismissed Reuter's report on the Nigerian military's secret abortion in the Northeast.
Describing it as "propaganda and slander against the Nigerian military", the centre said that it is necessary, therefore, to set the records straight so that Nigerians and the international community will understand who the actual enemy is.
The report said:
"The mission of the NGO is to ensure that families and women have children by choice and not by chance.
"It was reported by Mr Jonathan Nachia, the MSION Research Monitoring and Evaluation Officer in the North East that “the organisation has successfully averted 15,317 unintended pregnancies; 6,344 abortions; 5,719 unsafe abortions; 79 maternal deaths, and 4,581 mortality and morbidity, among others."
It also noted that the report “Nightmare in Nigeria: A Conflict Waged on the Lives of Women and Children” by Reuters, against the Nigerian military is false and stands dismissed.
Nigerian Military is professional
The CISS said the Nigerian military is a professional military that stands tall among the best militaries in the world and understands the rules of engagement and in the fight against Boko Haram insurgency in the North East.
It added:
"The report by Reuters is at large, a concerted effort designed to discredit the Nigerian Military. It is time, therefore, for the Nigerian government and the Nigerian military, to follow up on the activities of NGOs in Nigeria, especially in the North East Zone.
"This will help checkmate and prevent their propaganda and slander campaigns against the Nigerian military. When all is said, it must be submitted that the Nigerian military has been very professional in the fight against the Boko Haram insurgency and has not by any means, been found culpable."
Centre reacts to Reuters report on Nigerian Military's alleged mass programme
Reuters report on running a secret mass abortion programme in the northeast has been condemned by a human rights organisation.
The organisation said that the report by the newspaper is aimed at undermining the activities of the Nigerian Military to end terrorism in Nigeria.
According to the organisation, the Reuters' report corroborates the position of several agencies and individuals on the role of France in fueling the Boko Haram conflict in northeast Nigeria.
Recent report on Nigerian military aimed at undermining national security, says NAPJ
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that reactions continue to trail the recent report alleging that the Nigerian military has been involved in forced abortions.
The Northeast Advocacy for Peace and Justice says the report is the handwork of foreign agents planning to distract the military.
The group also stated that sponsors and international groups funding the activities of terrorists are responsible for such a damming report.
Source: Legit.ng
