By Juliana Francis
Tears filled Modinat’s eyes as she recalled the painful loss of her niece, 28‑year‑old Bukola, who died last August from complications of an unsafe abortion.
Bukola, who lived with Modinat, had initially complained of stomach pain. Relatives believed it was a minor illness. But as her condition worsened, the truth emerged.
“One day, she suddenly became sick,” Modinat recounted. “She kept complaining of stomach pain but refused to tell anyone it was from the drugs she had taken to abort the pregnancy.”
Despite the family’s efforts, Bukola grew weaker. By the time she was rushed to the general hospital, she was unable to speak and scribbled her confession on a piece of paper. She died shortly after, leaving behind a child now in Modinat’s care.
The grieving aunt described the ordeal as “a very painful period for my family and me.”
Modinat is now urging the Lagos State Government to act. She believes that unsafe abortion practices, often carried out in unregulated facilities, are claiming too many lives.
“Many women, especially young girls, face situations like this,” she said. “They get pregnant but cannot tell their parents or seek proper medical help. Because abortion is not legalised or accessible in safe hospitals, they resort to unsafe methods, which often lead to death.”
She warned that in her community alone, three women have died this year from unsafe procedures.
Modinat appealed for the establishment of specialised hospitals where women can openly seek safe care.
“If the government could establish hospitals where women can go, speak to doctors, and receive safe treatment, many lives would be saved. Without such facilities, deaths will continue,” she said.
Unsafe abortion remains a pressing public health challenge in Lagos State, driven by restrictive laws, policy gaps, and deep-rooted cultural stigma, according to Dr Jagun, a reproductive health expert.
Speaking on the issue, Dr Jagun explained that Nigeria’s abortion law is embedded in the criminal code and only permits the procedure when the mother’s life or physical health is at risk.
However, she noted that these provisions are vague and poorly translated into medical practice. “Most health professionals are not aware of such indications. What does the life of the mother mean in medical terms, in treatable terms, for health providers to be able to practise this?” she said.
Nigeria is a signatory to the Maputo Protocol, which allows abortion in cases of rape, incest, threats to mental health, and when the fetus is non-viable.
Yet, these provisions have not been fully integrated into national law. “There are still gaps that exist when it comes to us practising international best practices in Nigeria and also in Lagos State,” Dr Jagun emphasised.
Due to unclear laws and inconsistent implementation, many women avoid hospitals and turn to unqualified providers.
Dr Jagun explained: “Public health facilities may delay services, or doctors may refuse to provide them at all. Private facilities are costly, and in a country where poverty is pervasive, vulnerable groups cannot afford them.”
This, she said, drives women to patent medicine vendors, traditional concoctions, and dangerous home remedies.
“They’ve mixed a lot of local herbs to drink, which may damage their gastrointestinal system or reproductive organs. Some even use invasive items to terminate pregnancies,” she warned.
According to Jagun, the situation worsened after the Lagos State government suspended the STOP guidelines in 2022.
“The governor sent a signal that abortion is a no-go area. Even when the law provides for it, health institutions are reluctant to implement,” Jagun said, adding that this has fueled rising maternal morbidity and mortality.
Jagun urged Lagos and Nigeria at large to expand abortion provisions to align with international standards.
“Do you want women to carry a foetus with hydrocephalus or without brain tissue to term when obviously the baby will not be viable?” she asked.
She pointed to countries like Nepal, South Africa, and England, which have liberalised abortion laws and reduced maternal deaths.
“Nigeria should be thinking in this regard, to make provisions more liberal so women can access safe reproductive health services,” she said.
Jagun also highlighted the need for comprehensive sexuality education and stronger family planning programs.
“Youth should be assertive and practise safe methods. Lagos should push contraceptive prevalence rates higher so people can access services freely,” she noted.
At the community level, she called for tackling stigma and hypocrisy. “Sometimes people who oppose abortion seek it when it affects them or their loved ones. We need compassion and understanding, not shame,” she said.
This report was facilitated by the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC) as part of the Memorial Campaign on Ending Preventable Deaths from Unsafe Abortion in Lagos State. Series 4
