Reuters asked to apologise over claims against Nigerian military

Reuters asked to apologise over claims against Nigerian military

A human rights advocacy group, Women Concerns, has urged international news agency Reuters to issue an apology to the Nigerian military over allegations that it allegedly targeted women and children or conducted covert abortions as part of its operations against Islamist insurgents in the northeast.

The report by Reuters has since been challenged by Nigeria’s Human Rights Commission (NHRC), which concluded its investigation and found “no evidence” to support these claims.

“There is no evidence to establish that the Nigerian military conducted a secret abortion programme in the north-east, ending pregnancies of thousands of women and girls freed from insurgent captivity,” stated the NHRC in its report, unveiled at a press conference in Abuja.

Women Concerns, in a media briefing on Monday, called on Reuters to retract the report, which the group claimed lacked substantiation, and to apologize to the Nigerian military.

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Speaking to the press in Abuja, the group’s convener, Aishatu Balarabe, described the NHRC’s findings as a significant rebuttal to the Reuters report.

Condemning the alleged attempts to tarnish the reputation of the Nigerian Armed Forces, Balarabe argued that Reuters should instead utilize its platform to support the military’s ongoing efforts in affected regions of Nigeria.

“Reuters should stop carrying unbalanced stories, which can mar the efforts of the Nigerian military.

“Women Concerns have done its investigation, using the local people in the North East Nigeria. Our investigation show Reuters report can’t be substantiated. Rather than holding on to this, we call on Reuters to apologise to the Military.

“What Nigeria, especially the military needs right now is support and moral boosters to bring the security challenges to an end.

“Women Concerns are confident that despite the activities of war mongers, the Armed Forces of Nigeria under the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Chris Musa will continue to deal with those who don’t want peace and progress,” the group concluded.

 

Reuters asked to apologise over claims against Nigerian military