Onyebuchi Ezigbo, Abuja
The Catholic Church in Nigeria has expressed alarm over reported plans by the federal government to amend certain sections of the Criminal Code, including section 1090, to potentially decriminalize abortion in the country.
This concern follows a statement attributed to an official from the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, who allegedly discussed the initiative during the recent Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) Summit 1.0, organized by the Media Health & Rights Initiative of Nigeria to mark World Contraception Day in Abuja.
In an official statement, the Secretary General of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria (CSN), Very Rev. Fr. Zacharia Nyantiso Samjumi, cited a media report quoting a ministry official who suggested that the government is working toward expanding access to safe pregnancy termination options. Samjumi stated that the government’s stance aligns with growing concerns about secular policies that could undermine traditional Nigerian values, cultural norms, and religious beliefs.
The Church recalled previous government actions, including Nigeria’s endorsement of the SAMOA Agreement, which some argue includes provisions that could indirectly support LGBTQ+ rights. Additionally, the Church raised concerns over the Comprehensive Sexual Education (CSE) curriculum currently introduced in schools, which it claims promotes early sexual education, including topics on abortion, masturbation, and other sensitive subjects. Recent legislative proposals in the National Assembly to regulate surrogacy have added to these apprehensions, heightening fears of a systematic shift toward secular ideologies.
“This development seriously threatens the value and dignity of the human person,” stated Samjumi, underscoring the Church’s perspective that such actions contradict Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution. He highlighted Section 33, which guarantees the right to life, declaring that “every person has a right to life, and no one shall be deprived intentionally of his life, save in execution of a court sentence following a criminal offense.” Samjumi added that Chapter IV of the Constitution affirms the right to life, dignity, and freedom from discrimination.
The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has consistently called for the protection of human life in its teachings, communiqués, and official statements. The Church emphasizes that any law disregarding the right to life and dignity contradicts natural and divine principles.
“The Church proposes that, rather than expanding access to pregnancy termination, the government should invest in educating the public on the sanctity of human dignity and life. Legalizing abortion would promote a ‘culture of death,’ in direct opposition to the values enshrined in both natural law and Nigeria’s Constitution,” the statement continued.
The Catholic Church reiterated its call for government responsibility, urging it to uphold the constitutional rights to life and dignity that it has sworn to protect.
