Pregnancy Dilemma Of Girls Kidnapped by Boko Haram

Remember the 234 females kidnapped by Boko Haram, well after they were rescued, it was discovered that 200 of them had been impregnated by Boko Haram members.

Some NGOs advised that the pregnancies be kept because of the trauma of an abortion but another non-governmental organisation, Project Alert on Violence Against Women, has asked the Federal Government to allow the pregnant girls freely decide whether to abort or keep their pregnancies.


The Executive Director of the organisation, Mrs. Josephine Effah- Chukwuma, in a statement on Tuesday said no one had the right to choose for the victims.

She said, “What greater trauma, violence and life threatening situation can the women/girls face than what they were subjected to during the months of their captivity?

“Why do we always play politics with the lives of women and girls? The decision whether to have abortion or not is the exclusive decision of the girls, in close consultations with their immediate families.

“None of us has the faintest clue of the extent and depth of physical and psychological pain and torture these girls and their families went through, thus none of us has the right to decide for them.”

Effah-Chukwuma, whose group had been campaigning against domestic violence and abuse of children, said Nigerians should support the girls in their choices.

“The law on abortion in Nigeria definitely does not hold water in this case. For once, as a people, let us be real and not hypocritical. For as many of the girls who want to keep the pregnancy should be supported to do so; and for as many who want to abort it, should also be supported to do so.”

I agree with her---the girls should be allowed to decide what they want, because an abortion is one of the most personal decisions a female can make.