Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health and Global Human Rights, today issued the following statement on the recent reports of forced abortions in Nigeria:

            “The credible reports by Reuters implicating Nigerian officials in systematic forced abortions performed on women and girls who were kidnapped and raped by Islamic militants shock the conscience.

            The United States must stand with these victims and ensure that those involved in planning and carrying out this heinous abuse are held to account.

            Provisions I authored that were enacted into law (PL 106-113) give the Secretary of State the authority to sanction any foreign national directly involved in forced abortion.

            Secretary Blinken must immediately investigate this egregious violation of human rights and take action against any Nigerian official involved or complicit in this atrocity pursuant to my legislation.”

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