Nigerian Man Receives Nine-Year Prison Sentence in Ireland for Forced Abortion Case
A 28-year-old Nigerian man, Adeleke Adelani, has been sentenced to nine years imprisonment in Ireland for compelling his former girlfriend to terminate her pregnancy through coercion and force. The disturbing case unfolded in County Donegal, where Adelani's actions led to the unlawful termination of the woman's pregnancy after he forced her to ingest five abortion pills and confined her in a room.
Details of the Coercion and Threats
On St Valentine's Day in 2020, Adelani threatened his ex-girlfriend, stating he would "beat her nine-week-old foetus out of her" if she refused to take the tablets. The victim, who has requested that Adelani be publicly named, expressed in court that she will perpetually mourn her child, remarking, "Healing does not erase the loss it only means I learned how to live with it."
Judge's Sentencing and Remarks
On Thursday, February 19, 2026, Judge John Aylmer imposed an initial sentence of 11 years, with the final two years suspended, describing the accused's actions as "extremely premeditated." Judge Aylmer highlighted how Adelani had "lured" the woman to Letterkenny under the false pretense of planning to raise the baby together, while simultaneously conducting extensive online research on how to perform the termination, fully aware of her desire to keep the child.
The judge referenced the victim's impact statement, noting her Christian forgiveness but emphasizing the "appalling emotional trauma" she endured. He told Adelani, "You ignored her obvious distress. Her tears were audible in the recording you made," and added, "It's quite difficult to contemplate a more serious offence contrary to this statutory provision."
Charges and Mitigating Factors
Adelani pleaded guilty to unlawfully ending the life of a foetus under section 23.2 of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018, and to assault causing harm under section 3 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997. The most severe charge involved the unlawful termination of the foetus and assault against the woman, with Judge Aylmer considering threats and false imprisonment as aggravating factors.
Before mitigation, the offences warranted 11 years for the unlawful termination and five years for the assault. However, due to Adelani's guilty plea, positive conduct in prison, and expressions of remorse, the sentences were reduced to nine years and four-and-a-half years, respectively, to be served concurrently.
Background and Investigation
Garda PJ Folan presented the case to state barristers Paul Greene and Fiona Crawford, detailing how gardaí responded to a domestic incident in Letterkenny around 2:20 pm on the day in question. The 26-year-old victim recounted being forced to take tablets Adelani had obtained from a Dublin pharmacy.
The court learned that Adelani, a former student at Letterkenny Institute of Technology, met the woman on Snapchat. She initially became pregnant in October 2019, and both decided to abort with medical assistance. After becoming pregnant again in January 2020, she resolved to keep the baby following discussions with a friend in London.
Upon discovering she had skipped a GP appointment to proceed with the pregnancy, Adelani canceled a planned holiday and invited her to his Ashlawn home, feigning support for keeping the child before turning violent. He forced her to take five misoprostol 200mg tablets, instructed her on ingestion, and locked her in a bedroom.
Courtroom Evidence and Victim's Statement
Recordings played in court captured Adelani saying, "I'm showing you what to do ... take this ... I'm dead serious ... I'm forcing you. I don't care, take it," and "It's either you eat this or I beat that kid out of you tonight. I'm dead serious ... I'm forcing you. I don't care. Take it."
The victim, sitting near Adelani, read her impact statement: "When he wrongfully imprisoned me and caused the termination of my nine-week pregnancy, he took far more than my freedom. He took my child. He took my sense of safety. He took a future that I had already begun to plan and love. My baby was real to me. I had hopes, dreams, and a bond with the life that was growing inside me, and all of it was violently stolen from me in a moment of cruelty that I will never forget."
Post-Case Statements and Broader Implications
Following the sentencing, Garda Insp Paul McGee of Letterkenny Garda station praised the victim's "remarkable strength" in seeking accountability and urged anyone experiencing violence, coercion, or harassment to contact gardaí. Adelani is currently serving a five-and-a-half-year sentence for a separate crime from November 2025, with the new sentences to run consecutively.
This case underscores severe issues of coercion and reproductive rights violations, highlighting the legal consequences for such premeditated acts in Ireland.
