By Msgr. Gabriel Osu

IN recent times, the Nigerian military have recorded monumental breakthrough in their war against the insurgents. Only last week, the Military says its troops rescued 234 captives, some of whom are pregnant, as part of assault on rebel stronghold that has already liberated 500.

While I wish to join other well meaning Nigerians to commend our military for putting up a very brave fight against the insurgence, my main concern, however, is on the state of the women and children. I am aware that they were taken into detention where a thorough screening was carried out on them. In the process, it was discovered that many of them were pregnant and some already with babies, allegedly fathered by the insurgents. This is because some of the hostages, we gathered, regrettably, were subjected to forced labour and sexual and psychological abuse as well as sometimes having to fight on the frontline alongside the rebels.

Some groups of people are already canvassing that the pregnant women should be allowed to abort the unborn babies, considering the circumstances they find themselves in. This group opine that if the babies are born, they would not only constitute nuisance to the society, but would remain sources of emotional and psychological trauma for the mothers. I beg to defer with them. In as much as what has happened does not give one any joy, it is even more grievous to ever consider abortion as an option. You do not use another wrong to remedy a bad situation. The pregnant women should be encouraged and nurtured to deliver safely. What they are carrying within them are babies, full human beings being formed into maturity. Any attempt to abort them, would be tantamount to committing murder.

To my knowledge, no religion encourages abortion, not even the Holy Bible. I will illustrate this with the book of (Ex. 21:22–24): “If men who are fighting hit a pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely [Hebrew: “so that her child comes out”], but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman’s husband demands and the court allows. But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”

Also, it is a well known fact that man is a tripartite being; having a body, soul and spirit. The book of James 2:26, tells us that “the body without the spirit is dead”: The soul is the life-principle of the human body. Since conception the child’s body is alive (as shown by the fact it is growing), the child’s body must already have its spirit. And since no human can provide answers to how the body, soul and spirit are formed, then what right has anyone to want to play god by aborting what cannot be created by man? The best way for the authorities to address the issue on hand is to ensure that the affected women are counseIled psychologically to enable them have the emotional balance to face the facts on ground, and to face the future with optimism. When the children are safely delivered, the mothers can then be given the option of nursing the babies with support from government. Where they refuse, then government should take full custody of such children. We say no to any form of abortion.