The Health Committee of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), has raised strong objections to the proposed abortion to be carried out on pregnant women rescued from the Boko Haram camps, saying what the women needed was special care and rehabilitation.
Chairman of the committee and Auxiliary Bishop of Abuja Catholic Archdiocese, Rev. Anselm Umoren, in a statement yesterday, expressed sorrow at the traumatizing experiences endured by many Nigerians including men, women and children under the orgy of violence and terror by Boko Haram, adding that it was misguided for a cross section of persons and groups to be proposing mass abortions on the women.
“The body of bishops -as shepherd – has borne both direct and collateral pains with all Nigerians and especially our brethren who have been killed, maimed, displaced and harassed by the fundamentalist sect. However, we cannot be persuaded by the shallow arguments by some individuals and groups which obviously mean repaying violence with even a more vicious violence. Specifically, it is not tenable the suggestion that killing the babies conceived through r*pe by the terrorist is the most humane action to take in this instance.
“Since the babies are ignorant and innocent of the crimes against their mothers, it is unethical to punish them for the sins and offences of their erring fathers. How can we accept to visit with capital punishment (death sentence by abortion) on young Nigerians simply because their fathers were misguided religious and ideological bigots?” Umoren said.
The Catholic Bishops, therefore, called for the adoption of the rescued children and those that may be delivered by generous Nigerians willing to accept them into their families.
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