UN secretary-general calls on Nigeria to investigate report of forced abortions

FILE PHOTO: An aerial view of Maiduguri November 23, 2017. To match Special Report NIGERIA-MILITARY/ABORTIONS REUTERS/Paul Carsten

(Reuters) -United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on Nigerian authorities to investigate allegations of systemic and coerced abortions reportedly perpetrated by the Nigerian army, U.N spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Friday.

Reuters reported on Wednesday that the Nigerian Army has run a secret, systematic and illegal abortion programme in the country's northeast since at least 2013.