Saving the life of a pregnant woman is the only condition under which abortion is permitted in Nigeria. According to the abortion laws of the Penal Code, a woman faces a prison term of seven years if she performs the abortion procedure, the person responsible for the abortion procedure faces a heavy prison term of up to 'to fourteen years and any person who provides the material necessary for the procedure faces a prison sentence of up to three years. As a result, abortions are carried out in unsafe conditions, leading to a risk of maternal mortality. In this compelling essay, we argue that women should not be punished with criminal charges for suppressing an unwanted pregnancy because the child would become their sole responsibility and a major part of their lives. There are many reasons why women should have access to safe removal of unwanted pregnancy in Nigeria. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay The State of Abortion Laws in Nigeria Nigeria has one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the world. Nigerian law does not take into consideration women (including minor children) who have been victims of rape. A 2014 national survey on violence against children in Nigeria showed that one in four women have been victims of sexual violence. Some cases of this aggression reportedly lead to unwanted pregnancies. These girls/women then have to carry their babies to term with the famous words commonly uttered by Nigerians: “children are a gift from God”. It is easier to give words of encouragement and reasons to a rape victim to maintain the pregnancy than to actually be the victim who has to carry the baby. Legalizing abortion would reduce rape victims taking drastic measures such as removing the fetus themselves or, even worse, committing suicide. Every woman has every right to her body, but Nigeria's abortion law indirectly limits this by prohibiting women from removing the fetus they do not want. in their own body. Criminalizing the act a woman chooses to do with her body limits the right she is supposed to have. When women are denied abortion, unwanted children are born. These women are then forced to become mothers against their will, leading them to resent their babies, feel trapped as a mother, and regret getting pregnant. A child should not be brought into the world when circumstances are not favorable for its care and support by its parents. Newborn babies have been seen thrown into bushes, streets, dumpsters and at the gates of general hospitals by Nigerian women when they are forced to carry their unwanted pregnancies to term and give birth. According to Dr. Ejike Orji, president of the Association for the Advancement of Family Planning (AAFP), unsafe abortion is the second leading cause of maternal death in Nigeria. Women who become pregnant and do not want to keep their baby are ready to face any circumstances to ensure that their pregnancy is terminated. They seek help from quack doctors who have no concern for their health and no form of monitoring is provided. As Ms. Shekarau, Director of International Pregnancy Counseling Services in Nigeria, said, Nigeria's abortion laws do not stop abortion, but rather create an environment for quacks to profit from these.