The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has urged the federal government to investigate allegations of systemic abortions reportedly perpetrated by the Nigerian Army.
Guterres made this appeal, in an email to Reuters news agency, through the UN spokesman, Stephane Dujarric.
The UN chief called on the federal government to thoroughly investigate the allegations and punish those involved.
Dujarric, while briefing reporters during the weekend, said, We call on the Nigerian authorities to fully investigate these allegations and make sure theres accountability.
A US State Department spokesperson was also reported to have said the Joe Biden administration was deeply troubled.
Recall thatReutershad reported that the Nigerian Army was running a secret, systematic and illegal abortion programme in the countrys North-East since at least 2013.
However, the Nigerian Army had denied conducting a years-long illicit programme to carry out abortions among women and girls who have been victims of Boko Haram militants, calling the report a body of insults on the Nigerian peoples and culture.
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor, said the military would not investigate the allegation because the report was not true.
The Nigerian military had accused Reuters of trying to blackmail the Nigerian military through fictitious and wicked reportage.
