A non-profit organisation, AYUBSON Life Foundation, has staged a peaceful protest in Abeokuta, calling on Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun to withhold assent to the state’s proposed Safe Termination of Pregnancy Law, 2026.
The protesters, on Thursday, marched through parts of the Ogun State capital carrying placards opposing the legislation and urging the government to strengthen support for pregnant women and families facing difficult circumstances instead of facilitating pregnancy termination.
On September 24, the Ogun State House of Assembly passed the bill, identified as H.B. No. 036/OG/2026 – Ogun State Safe Termination of Pregnancy Law, 2026, and directed that a clean copy be transmitted to Governor Abiodun for assent.
The proposed law seeks to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality, promote safe motherhood and reproductive health rights, and establish conditions for the safe termination of pregnancy in accordance with specified legal indications.
AYUBSON, however, said it was opposed to the legislation, arguing that its implementation could weaken the protection of unborn children.
Placards displayed during the protest included: “Say No to Abortion, Say Yes to Life”; “Protect Unborn Babies, Support Families”; “Choose Life, Not Abortion”; “Our Children, Our Future: Protect Them”; “They Deserve a Chance to Live”; and “Together for a Life-Friendly Ogun State.”
Speaking with journalists, the founder and director of AYUBSON Life Foundation, Yusuf Ayuba, said the organisation was concerned about the bill because it was awaiting the governor’s assent.
Ayuba said, “We are here to express our concerns about the Pregnancy Termination Bill passed by the Ogun State House of Assembly in September 2026. We understand that the bill is awaiting the governor’s assent before it can be fully implemented in the state.
“We are saying no to this bill. We believe that abortion is prohibited under Nigeria’s existing laws, and we question whether the state has the authority to legalise what we consider to be illegal at the federal level.”
He said women experiencing crisis pregnancies should instead receive medical care, counselling, practical assistance and other forms of support.
“Even in cases involving crisis pregnancies, I do not believe abortion is the best option or the solution. Women need support. Those experiencing crisis pregnancies need medical care, practical assistance, counselling and guidance,” Ayuba said.
He appealed to Abiodun not to sign or implement the bill, saying the state government should focus on tackling poverty, hunger and unemployment while improving support systems for women and families.
Ayuba said the foundation only became aware of the legislation relatively late in the legislative process, prompting it to launch what he described as an urgent awareness campaign.
“To be honest, we did not hear about the bill when it was at the first and second reading stages. We received the news as an emergency, which is why we organised this awareness campaign to communicate our concerns,” he said.
He added that the organisation was particularly concerned that those it believed would be affected by the legislation were unable to participate directly in the debate.
“What baffles us most is that the people who will be affected by this bill have no voice and cannot speak for themselves. Many of those who will be affected are not even aware that the bill has been passed,” Ayuba said.
The foundation’s position comes weeks after the Ogun Assembly said the proposed legislation would undergo scrutiny to ensure that its provisions did not conflict with the Constitution and other existing federal laws.
Speaker Oludaisi Elemide gave the assurance during the bill’s second reading in July, saying lawmakers and stakeholders would examine its provisions to address possible legal conflicts.
Nigeria’s existing legal framework on abortion is also more nuanced than a blanket prohibition.
Different criminal-law regimes apply across the country, while national guidelines recognise certain circumstances in which termination of pregnancy may be legally performed.
Also speaking at Thursday’s protest, the President of the National Association of Ogun State Students at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Badekale Abdullai, expressed support for the campaign.
Abdullai said the students’ body was participating in the demonstration to support what he described as AYUBSON’s pro-life initiative and appealed to the Ogun government to consider the protesters’ concerns.
“We are here today in support of the pro-life initiative of AYUBSON Life Foundation. We are participating in this awareness campaign to appeal to the Ogun State government, led by His Excellency, Prince Dapo Abiodun, to help protect unborn babies and support families,” he said.
The protesters maintained that their campaign was aimed at persuading the governor to withhold assent to the bill, while urging the state government to prioritise measures that provide healthcare, counselling and social support to women experiencing crisis pregnancies.
