News Editor
From Dooshima Terkura, Makurdi
A human rights organization, Lawyers’ Alert has expressed concern over what it described as persistent pressure being exerted on a female health worker currently standing trial over alleged abortion-related offences, urging authorities to safeguard her constitutional rights and ensure she receives independent legal support.
The health worker, whose identity has been withheld, is being represented by Lawyers’ Alert and is currently remanded at the Ibara Correctional Centre in Abeokuta, Ogun State, in connection with the death of a 23-year-old National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, who allegedly died from complications following the termination of a pregnancy.
According to the organization, the defendant was initially charged with conspiracy, unlawful abortion, and murder.
However, the Director of Public Prosecutions later discontinued the murder charge through legal advice while she remains in custody, facing the remaining charges without granted bail.
In a statement signed by its Director of Legal, Bamidele Jacobs, Lawyers Alert alleged that the health worker has been subjected to pressure from her husband and other family members to plead guilty, despite her desire to fully understand the legal implications of such a decision.
The organization said it has consistently advised against entering a guilty plea without a negotiated plea agreement that adequately protects her legal rights and interests.
The organization also raised concerns over reports that the defendant has allegedly been isolated from her mother and twin sister while in custody. It further alleged that her husband has been disposing of her personal property under the guise of raising funds for legal representation without making efforts to secure her bail.
The organization described the allegations as serious and said they warrant careful scrutiny.
According to Lawyers’ Alert, the case highlights the broader challenges faced by women prosecuted in connection with reproductive healthcare, noting that those in detention may experience multiple forms of pressure, including stigma, economic dependence, family influence, and social discrimination, which could affect their ability to make independent legal decisions.
While acknowledging that advice from a spouse or family member does not automatically amount to gender-based violence, the organisation argued that persistent pressure, emotional manipulation, intimidation, or attempts to override a woman’s expressed wishes particularly while in detention, could amount to coercive control and psychological or gender-based violence.
The organisation cited international and domestic legal instruments, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the Maputo Protocol, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, and Nigeria’s Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015, as recognizing emotional, verbal, and psychological abuse as forms of violence against women, depending on the circumstances.
It also referenced Sections 34 and 36 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), which guarantees every accused person the rights to dignity, fair hearing, independent legal representation, and the opportunity to make an informed and voluntary plea.
Lawyers Alert maintained that while the courts would determine the merits of the criminal charges, every accused person is entitled to due process, dignity, and the full protection of the law.
The organisation called on relevant authorities to ensure that the defendant’s constitutional rights are protected, that she has access to independent legal and psychosocial support, and that any decisions she makes during the criminal proceedings are free from coercion or undue influence.
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