Police Fired Tear Gas, Pointed Gun At Breastfeeding Baby
Suwaiba Abdullahi, a nursing mother among the hundreds of protesters in Abuja, has accused the police of threatening her and her baby. The woman was part of the #EndBadGovernance protest on Thursday.
Ms Abdullahi said, “We came to Eagle Square for the protest when I came and sat with this little daughter of mine. I took her out from the couch I’m carrying her with. Then, another lady, Sarah Ibrahim, a comrade, assisted me with my zipper in order to breastfeed the baby.
“Suddenly, the police threw tear gas at us, so Sarah took the baby and approached them and demanded to know why they threw tear gas on an innocent baby. One of the police officers said she was under arrest, and one of them placed his gun at the baby. Then I shouted and pounced on him, and I told him if he was going to kill her, let him kill us together.
“Then, he abused my father, and I retaliated. Then, they said they were taking us to the IG’s office, accusing me that they suspected that she was not my baby and that I stole her. They insisted I should breastfeed her there which I did. Initially I was resistant, but I succumbed to their wish. After that, we went to the IG.”
She also mentioned that the inspector general of police had asked her why she came out to protest, and in response, she told him that she came out to protest because of the insecurity and hunger in the country.
Ms Abdullahi added, “The IG asked me why I was out to protest along with me, and I told him that it was for the insecurity in the country and that it is my right, and the right of the baby as we are Nigerians. The main reason we came out is that we women take care of the feeding of the family in our homes as the men are jobless.
“We came out because of hunger. Our children do not go to school. That is why I came out to demonstrate even if I am killed now, there are more I left behind that will take care of the rest. If you want a stable and prosperous Nation, you have to be courageous.”
