Korede Abdullah 
OGUN, Nigeria – The Ogun State Government pledges full enforcement of Safe Termination of Pregnancy (SToP) guidelines to reduce maternal deaths and uphold women’s reproductive rights.
At a seminar in Abeokuta, Executive Secretary of the Ogun Primary Healthcare Board, Dr. Elijah Ogunsola,described unsafe abortion as a “public health crisis,” noting it accounts for 97% of maternal deaths among low- and middle-income women.
“The government is committed to ensuring safe, legal, and rights-based abortion care within Nigerian law,” Ogunsola said.
He explained that the policy aligns with the 1999 Constitution, which mandates protection of women’s health when pregnancy endangers life.
Executive Director of the Centre for Bridging Health Gaps, Dr. Moriam Jagun, added, “Unsafe abortion remains one of the most preventable causes of death, yet stigma silences the conversation.”
Legal expert Mrs. Oluwakemi Lawal clarified that abortion is permitted in Nigeria when pregnancy threatens a woman’s health or results from rape or incest.
The Society of Gynecologists and Obstetricians of Nigeria, Dr. Olusoji Jagun emphasised that safe abortion “protects women’s dignity and health without fear or stigma.”
About the Author
Hussaini Ibrahim 
Mirian Gom 
Chukwu Obinna