Nigeria's military has closed one of Africa's biggest cattle
markets, charging sales of stolen animals is helping finance Boko
Haram's Islamic insurgency, according to angry residents who say
thousands of people have lost jobs, beef is no longer available and
animals are dying in a sealed abattoir.
The three-week-old closure of the market in Maiduguri, the main
city in northeast Nigeria, is piling on tensions and economic strain in a
city overrun by war refugees, and is increasing animosity toward the
military, according to people interviewed by the AP.
Some 20,000 cattle and goats locked into the main abattoir are
dying from lack of water and food, according to Abubakar Abba of the
Livestock Traders' Union.
The closure is affecting markets as far away as Lagos, the
commercial capital more than 1,500 kilometers (940 miles) southwest of
Maiduguri, where cattle prices are rising daily, said Umar Adamu,
chairman of the United Butchers' Association.
Maiduguri's was the last major cattle market operating in the
region, where the insurgency has closed at least eight others, said Musa
Abdullah of the Cattle Traders' Union. Traders came from southern
Nigeria as well as West and Central African nations.
"This clampdown has affected thousands of truck drivers,
loaders, butchers, even water sellers ... the consequences will be
devastating," Abdullah warned, saying his organization has 12,000 members and the butchers' more than 200,000.
A senior military officer said butchers and traders were involved
in "shady deals" with Boko Haram. He spoke on condition of anonymity
because he is not authorized to speak to reporters.
Resident Abubakar Maina, who has not eaten meat for days, said the military should target suspects, not punish everybody.
Beef is a major source of protein in Nigeria. In Maiduguri, those
who can afford it are buying fresh and frozen fish at inflated prices.
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