Traditional leaders, lawyers, and government officials in Nigeria's Borno State have expressed concern over the high rate of teenage pregnancies in the displacement camps in Maiduguri and how abortion has become commonplace.
They stated this during a dialogue involving stakeholders, which was organized by some non-governmental organizations in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State.
The dialogue brought together 500 women who had survived rape-related abuse, traditional leaders, lawyers, government officials, and other stakeholders to find a lasting solution.
A traditional ruler and leader of the EYN displacement camp in the Jerusalem area of Wulari, Maiduguri, John Gwoma, lamented how girls get pregnant through illicit sexual activity and prostitution in the camp, leading to unsafe abortions.
He added that men from the city arrive in big cars to pick up young girls, which is a major reason why pregnancy and subsequent abortion among these young girls have become commonplace.
Almost all the stakeholders who spoke at the event confirmed the claims of illicit sex, abortion, and even how men visit in big cars to pick up young girls in the displacement camps across Borno State.
In his response, the chairman of the event, Friday Bitrus, said the contributions from the stakeholders were collected for the purpose of scoring points.