Do Not Abort Boko Haram Babies, Catholic Bishop Begs

The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria has condemned
suggestions by some stakeholders in the country, who have advocated that the
pregnancy of some Boko Haram female victims, conceived through rape, should be
terminated.

The organisation which condemned the act however says, it
will be partly responsible for the upbringing of the children through support
mechanisms and crisis pregnancy management centers. According to them, the babies
are innocent and should not be killed for the offences of their erring fathers.

Chairman of the Health Committee of CBCN and Auxiliary
Bishop of Abuja (Catholic Archdiocese), Most Rev. Anselm Umoren, stated these
during a press conference yesterday in Abuja.

“Specifically, it is not tenable, the suggestion that
killing the babies conceived through rape by the terrorists, is the most humane
action to take in this instance. Since the babies are ignorant and innocent of
the crimes – aggression, sexual assault, dehumanisation – against their
mothers, it is unethical to punish them for the sins and offences of their
erring fathers,” he said.