After eight years of stalemate, the Ibadan Central Abattoir, Amosun Village, opened for business in July. Already, activities are reaching the peak, delivering gains to the operator, butchers, state and local governments. But the stakeholders have been battling the leadership of the 2 Division of the Nigerian Army, Ibadan for allegedly providing cover for illegal cattle slaughtering at Odogbo Cantonment, an act that is viewed as undermining the Central Abattoir project, writes Southwest Bureau Chief BISI OLADELE
Slaughtering and trading activities are in full swing at the Ibadan Central Abattoir (ICA), ending years of unwholesome production of meat at sub-standard abattoirs across the capital city.
Meat consumers in Ibadan and communities contiguous to it have heaved a sigh of relief as cows and other cattle are now properly examined and certified by veterinary doctors before they are slaughtered for human consumption at the new abattoir.
The Ibadan Central Abattoir gained its breath after eight years of stalemate caused by inability of butchers, the 11 local government areas in Ibadan and the Oyo State Government to agree on the modality for operating the N2 billion worth of facility. But the stalemate ended in May subsequent to a landmark agreement to allow the interest of the meat consuming public reign over other factors.
The butchers agreed to relocate. The government renegotiated terms of engagement and the private company which built the abattoir also made concessions. Then, slaughtering moved into the butchery in July and everyone became happy.
The story has not, however, been fully rosy as a few butchers who are opposed to the facility have been defying government’s order to relocate to the new abattoir. While some chose to slaughter their cattle at the now illegal abattoirs, some allegedly moved to the slaughter slab of the 2 Division of the Nigerian Army, Odogbo Cantonment located in Ojoo area of the city.
Southwest Report gathered that the authorities of the cantonment were allegedly shielding the few butchers from arrest by the task force set up by the state government until three weeks ago when the alleged lead butcher at the cantonment, Mr Yekinni Abiola, was eventually arrested.
But his arrest did not happen by chance. Our correspondent reliably gathered that the butchers and management of the new abattoir petitioned the state government over alleged harassment of butchers and members of the task force by some soldiers from the cantonment.
The Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development had to send a strongly-worded letter to the leadership of the cantonment to convey the seriousness of the state government over the matter.
In the petition, the abattoir and butchers accused the cantonment of shielding Mr Abiola and his colleagues who were allegedly slaughtering up to 100 cattle per day in the slab that was meant for a single digit number of cattle. The operator and butchers further alleged that soldiers also provided security for Abiola and his colleagues whenever they took their meat to town for sale. It is believed that the cantonment was generating some revenue through the use of its slab thereby necessitating the need to protect the butchers and their business.
At the middle of the crisis, two veterinary officers of the state Ministry of Agriculture who work for the abattoir, Dr Kehinde Oladokun and Dr Ayoola Oladipo were arrested and allegedly brutalised by some soldiers. They were arrested around Bodija Market and taken to the cantonment where they were allegedly beaten up while discharging their duties for the state. They were allegedly viewed as working against the operation of the slaughter slab at the cantonment.
When contacted, the Deputy Director, Army Public Relations (2 Division), Col. Hassan Mohammed, declined comment on the issue, saying it was already in court.
Abiola was arrested three weeks ago and was dragged to the mobile court established by the government to hear illegal butchering cases. The court sits in the premises of Akinyele Local Government Area, Ibadan.
When hearing commenced, Abiola pleaded ‘not guilty’ to the three-count charge of slaughtering cattle without valid licence in Ibadan which is within the operational base of the central abattoir.
He was charged with slaughtering cows in a place not designated and without valid licence contrary to Section 24(1) and punishable under Section 24(4) of the Oyo State Abattoir and Meat Regulatory Authority Laws 2017. But he was granted bail.
Abiola’s counsels, S. S. Akinyele and Saheed Oyebiyi, had raised a preliminary objection to the charge, arguing that their client slaughtered at the slab which is exempted from the law. By exempting the cantonment’s slab, the lawyers argued that cattle slaughtered in the cantonment are also exempted from the jurisdiction of the central abattoir.
But the Magistrate, Mrs R. A. Ebeloku-Mustapha overruled the preliminary objection, saying that the defendant failed to show that he had been licensed by the military who had the registration of exemption. She ordered the case to proceed to trial.
The cantonment slab was exempted from the government’s directive for all butchers to relocate to the ICA based on the fact that the slab was established purposely for meat to be consumed within the cantonment.
Sitting on a portion of a 10-hectare land along Oyo Road, the ICA offers modern and traditional slaughtering methods with rapid turnaround time and excellent hygienic condition as against the old unhygienic abattoirs. Its operation has since brought about wholesome economic production of meat from the cattle market through inspection, slaughtering and distribution. It has also given room for effective monitoring and control of animal diseases such as tuberculosis, brucellosis and anthrax which are usually fatal.
The new abattoir has provided opportunity for proper waste management as well as created employment for hundreds of residents. The state government now enjoys improved revenue along with the 11 local government areas while the butchers’ association as a major stakeholder also easily rakes in structured revenue from every animal slaughtered.
The abattoir was built and managed by C&E Limited on build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis for 35 years. It houses two slaughter slab buildings, a mechanical slaughter slab building; pig slaughter slab/holding pen, goat and sheep slaughter slab and lairages.
The modern abattoir also houses a cold store, veterinary building, a clinic, a police station, a bank building, incinerator, an administrative block and a canteen. Facing the Ibadan-Oyo expressway is the meat market section which is made up of meat shops, stalls, lock-up shops and a mosque. The abattoir currently witnesses slaughtering of between 350 and 400 animals daily.
