Abortion as we know is a crime in Nigeria with the exception that if giving birth to a child will cause harm to the woman or girl then abortion is legal. There are laws already in place that prohibit the act of abortion in Nigeria: the Criminal code (southern Nigeria) and penal code (Nothern Nigeria).

Specifically, the sections prohibiting abortion in the south are sections 228, 229, 230 of the criminal code. Section 228 prohibit and punishes anyone who aids another in committing miscarriage(abortion) by 14 years imprisonment. Sections 229 prohibits and punishes anyone who causes herself miscarriage(abortion) by 7 years imprisonment.

In the North, the sections prohibiting abortion are section 232, 233 and 234 of the penal code. However these sections are in pari material(similar in wordings) with the provisions stated in the criminal code.

That is to say that the government have put in place laws prohibiting abortion but these laws do not cover the field, that is there exist a/some lacuna(loopholes) in the already made laws.

Therefore, there is the need to revisit and amend the laws.

The above is my opinion as a law student.