The fight against breast ironing in Pigba, a community near Apo Mechanic Village in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, has resurfaced as activists and residents push for stronger government action to end the harmful practice.
Breast ironing, also called breast flattening, involves pressing or pounding a girl’s developing breasts with heated or hard objects to slow puberty and ward off male advances.
Though outlawed and condemned globally, the practice persists quietly in parts of Nigeria.
In 2024, the former Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Pigba community leaders to end the practice, but residents say the campaign has since lost momentum with little follow-through or enforcement from the government, allowing the practice to persist in some areas.
“The old women who still believe in the practice are our challenge,” lamented Ruth Ibrahim, Pigba’s community secretary. “If the Ministry revisits the MOU, we can mobilise the women and let them know they are not above the law.”
The United Nations estimates that about four million women worldwide have experienced breast ironing, ranking it among the most underreported forms of gender-based violence. Health experts warn that the consequences go far beyond immediate pain. Victims may face tissue damage, infections, difficulty breastfeeding, and deep psychological trauma.
“Breast ironing causes hematoma formation within the breast muscles,” explained Dr. Patrick Eze, a medical practitioner. “This can lead to bleeding, infections, and, in severe cases, raise the risk of breast cancer.”
Some residents say poverty and fear drive the practice. Tuma Usman, a mother in Pigba, argued that families resort to breast ironing in hopes of protecting their daughters. “It is because of poverty they are doing it,” she said. “The government should provide empowerment and alternatives.”
Others admit they once took part out of ignorance. An elderly resident, who did not want her name mentioned, confessed, “I ironed my daughter’s breasts before we were told it was dangerous. We did not know it was harmful, it was just what our grandparents taught us.”
For activists, the solution lies in sustained advocacy and stronger enforcement. Halima Oiza Sadiq, Executive Director of the Chachavivi Women and Girl Child Development Foundation, said: “It is unfortunate that such things are still happening in the FCT. Our foundation is committed to building awareness so people can abandon this practice.” She also stressed the role of religious and traditional leaders in shifting mindsets.
Sadiq further pointed to weak implementation of laws as a stumbling block. “We have good laws and policies, but enforcement is weak. The Ministry of Women Affairs must make the law active and domesticate it across all states. Religious leaders, traditional rulers, and women leaders must also help stop this harmful act,” she urged.
Residents of Pigba are now appealing to the new Minister of Women Affairs to revisit the stalled MOU, strengthen monitoring, and expand awareness campaigns. Their message is simple, to ensure every girl in their community grows up safe, healthy, and free from breast ironing.