Kuje blast: Injured baby missing her late mum –Dad

The 11-month-old baby, Ifeoluwa Abolarin, whose three relatives died in twin explosions in Kuje, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) last Friday night is “missing her mum,” the father said.

Abolarin was strapped to her mother’s back as she walked near Kuje main market minutes before the blast. In the aftermath, the mother, uncle and grandmother were killed.

Her father, Samuel Olu Abolarin, traced her to hospital hours after responders evacuated them from the site without a relative. The father said the 11 months old baby is better.

“She can’t talk. She’s just missing her mum,” he said.

The infant’s fractured right foot is encased in plaster and bandage, and rests on a pile of toweling when she sleeps or rests.

The blast took off two of her toes and burnt the flesh of her foot so severely “you can see through to the bones of the three toes left behind,” said Olu.

Ifeoluwa’s right eye is also swollen, along with scrapes and bruises along the right side of her body.

In a diaper, she struggles to grab her father’s phone as he speaks. She relaxes when he plays an audio file. She calms when he opens up a video of her dog at home.

“I’m just trying my best to be there for her,” said the 27-year father.