The deplorable state of abattoirs in the country, lax adherence to sanitation measures by butchers, and the transportation of meat in public transport vehicles have continued unabated for years calling to question, governments’ concern for the wellbeing of citizens. The sordid picture crystalising in abattoirs nationwide is distressing. As concerned authorities fail to play their roles in the face of mounting danger, fears are rife that continuous poor handling of meat could spike food-borne illnesses, promote the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, as well as pose a significant public health risk, BERTRAM NWANNEKANMA, LAWRENCE NJOKU, SEYE OLUMIDE, ENIOLA DANIEL, BROWN AJULUCHUKWU, OBINNA NWAOKU, SAXONE AKHAINE and MOYOSORE SALAMI report.
On Tuesday, July 2, 2024, time was about 9.00 a.m., and a scruffily garbed motorcyclist was jotting through the mass of vehicular traffic that clustered the popular Rumuosi Junction, along the East-West Road, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
As he meandered his way through the intricate traffic network, motorists and pedestrians alike stared endlessly as the large chunks of beef tied to his motorbike dripped pints of blood every step of the way.
The vendor, who was returning from either the Alakahia, or Emohua abattoir en route to Nkpolu, was neither bothered by seepages from a sewage tanker that snarled just metres ahead, nor the accompanying flies perching on the exposed meat.
As far as the vendor was concerned, his focus was delivering the meat to end users, especially restaurant owners, who could not afford to wait until midday to prepare their dishes.
A meat seller at Rumuosi Market, Happy Ufom, said he prefers motorcycles to cars each time he goes to Rumuosi, Alakahia, or Emohua to get his stock.
According to him, his preference for motorcycles is due to the high cost of hiring a truck, which ultimately adds to the consumers’ budget. It also has to do with the time lag associated with using vehicles during rush hours.
Ufom explained that even though many meat suppliers and sellers transport their wares in lidded buckets and sack bags using motorcycles, tricycles, and cars, motorcycles account for over 70 per cent of meat shipment in most parts of the state because of the ease with which they navigate through congested roads and markets to reach their destinations.
Hundreds of kilometres away in Lagos State, the situation is not different as far as unhygienic transportation of meat is concerned.
For instance, two weeks ago, some officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) waded into a rift between a passenger, and a bus driver after the former got drenched in blood from a carelessly conveyed beef.
The embittered passenger, who boarded a commercial bus at Berger Bus Stop en route to the Oshodi Transport Hub, was unaware that the driver was carrying a butcher and large parts of uncovered meat in the booth of the Volkswagen bus. With the meat carelessly tossed inside the greasy booth uncovered, and without recourse to passengers’ comfort, or the health implications to the end users, who were waiting at the Ketu Market, the LASTMA operatives had to step in to save the day.
A veterinary doctor (in white), at Oko Oba Abattoir.
Deplorable state of abattoirs
IF meat transportation presents a sordid spectacle that would make a beef consumer think twice before consuming the sumptuous pieces of meat set on his dining table, the abattoirs where these meats are processed are simply horrendous. Sadly, these stomach-churning pictures seem to be replicated across many parts of the country as The Guardian found out during recent visits to abattoirs in the country, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
The deplorable state of these facilities, and the poor treatment and transportation of processed meat constitute an ugly sight in Kubwa, Gwagwalada, Mandala Market, and Area 11 in the FCT and other parts of the country.
Stepping into an abattoir in Kubwa, an obnoxious stench, and a swarm of flies fill the area. Animals taken from the stable, like in all other abattoirs in the FCT, are immediately herded to the slaughter slabs known as Katwa.
Interestingly, these beasts are not inspected by any veterinary doctor before and after they are killed, as the veterinary doctors are alleged to resume work long after these animals have been butchered and distributed.
The butchers, usually in twos, clad in filthy clothes worn for days, haul the animals, mostly cattle unto the Katwa dismembering them right on the concrete floor laced with traces of faeces, and blood from the previous days’ exercise.
The large chunks of meat obtained from the dismembered cattle are then piled up on a rusty wheelbarrow. There are no considerations whatsoever for the health implications of the direct contact of the meat with the dirty wheelbarrows.
Through these wheelbarrows, the chunks of meat are distributed to stalls within the abattoirs. In cases where they are to be taken outside the abattoirs, the bulk of them are also transported on motorcycles and boots of public vehicles.
The experience at the Mandala Abattoir is more horrendous. Unlike the Kubwa Abattoir with a structure and functional potable water, such provisions constitute a luxury in the Mandala Abattoir.
One of the prominent features of this facility is its open-air slaughter slab that has deep discoloration occasioned by filth from coagulated animal blood and stale faeces. Parts of the slaughtered animals, including fore and hind legs, necks, and others are strewn on the filthy ground, and dozens of overfed houseflies conspicuously descend on them.
In all the abattoirs visited, the section where hides and skin, popularly called Ponmo, cow tail, head, and legs are processed appears to be the filthiest part of the abattoir. It is close to the fireplace where disused car tires serve as firewood for roasting these parts.
Most of the butchers who spoke to The Guardian lamented the lack of cold rooms in all the abattoirs in the FCT, adding that they have resorted to buying ice-block to help preserve their wares and curtail the huge waste, which they routinely encounter.
Ahmed Afeez, a butcher in Dutse, Abuja, complained about the absence of designated vehicles for conveying meat within and outside the FCT. According to him, meat is transported to them by motorcycles, wheelbarrows, and commercial vehicles.
He said: “There is no abattoir in Dutse, so we get our meat from Zuba, and Mandala abattoirs. The meat that we buy is brought to us on motorbikes, and in very rare cases, public transport. We prefer motorcycles because they are faster and more affordable. In Abuja, there are no vehicles designated for carrying meat like it is done in some parts of Lagos. There are no cold rooms, we are responsible for the meats that we sell, and sometimes we suffer huge losses.”
A meat seller at the Kubwa Abattoir, Anayo Ikenna, decried the lackadaisical attitude of veterinary doctors stationed in the abattoirs, noting that they resume duty when meat from all the cattle slaughtered might have long left the abattoir.
He said: “There are veterinary doctors here in Kubwa Abattoir, but they are not functional. For instance, cattle are killed and butchered as early as 5.00 a.m., sometimes 6.00 a.m., and none of these veterinary doctors resume work by that time. The Kubwa Abattoir has a functional tap, but the slaughter slabs are not always spick and span.”
But one of the head veterinary doctors, Isa, said: “It is not true that veterinary doctors are never present when cattle are being slaughtered; there is always the presence of veterinary doctors in the katwa (slaughter slab), who examine the animals before they are killed.
“Butchers can be biased, but we have veterinary doctors who live on the premises to inspect early morning butchery. The government should look at how nasty the environments that abattoirs are situated in are because they have been this way for decades.”
Another veterinary doctor, who elected to speak anonymously asked rhetorically: “After we check these animals for tuberculosis and other zoonotic diseases what happens next? Have you seen how dilapidated katwa is? Butchers are not properly trained and equipped, so, they do as they like. The government is not bothered about the safety of abattoirs. All the public abattoirs are in a shambles. If you go through abattoirs and see the shabby handling of meat that takes place there, you will be forced to become a vegetarian.”
In Lagos State, the unhygienic handling of meat has continued unabated despite strident public outcry and government intervention in the past.
Oko-Oba Abattoir, Lagos
A visit to abattoirs in the state confirmed poor adherence to sanitation measures at the abattoir. At Oko-Oba Abattoir, Agege, little is done to ensure proper hygiene in meat processing. Although the pungent odor that used to greet visitors and trigger breathing discomforts has reduced at the facility, the situation remains very disturbing.
The Guardian noticed that cattle were butchered on bare concrete floors with a few gallons of water poured out intermittently to flush off debris, while some porters were busy whisking away meat on their heads from the slaughterhouse to nearby sheds. Many of the porters have only their pairs of pants on. From their heads to toes, blood drips constantly.
Despite the long line of neat refrigerated branded vans, there were a couple of old, dirty rusty, and rickety buses waiting on the queue to also collect meat for distribution.
It was also difficult to find any health officials inspecting meat transportation, or even inspecting the unbranded vans carting the meat away.
One of the meat sellers, who simply identified himself as Ganiyu said: “Things have improved in this market. If you were here years ago, you would have had another story to tell. It’s cleaner now and better. Lagos State trucks carry cows from here to Oshodi to butcher, and their vehicles are cleaner.”
When asked about the health state of cattle that are being slaughtered, a veterinary doctor with the Ministry of Agriculture, in Lagos, said: “We check every cow before they are butchered, and we have been vigilant in ensuring strict compliance. No sick animals are butchered here, and there is no way anyone can smuggle sick animals in here. They start butchering by 6:00 a.m. and end by 2:00p.m., and we are here throughout.”
The doctor, however, declined to make comments about the environment where the cattle are being slaughtered.
New Artisan Market, Enugu
WHILE there may be a semblance of regulation in the FCT and Lagos State, there is no measure of regulation in the way meat is conveyed from the abattoir to the market in the South-East and many parts of the country.
Those who kill animals to raise meat for public consumption use any available, and affordable means to convey them to the market.
The Guardian gathered that wheelbarrows, tricycles, motorcycles, and open vans readily serve as means to convey meat from abattoirs to the markets.
The meat at times is carried with bare hands to where they are sold depending on the distance.
For instance at the New Artisan Market, on the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, which is a prominent livestock market, in Enugu, animals killed are conveyed by any of the above-identified means.
Sanni, a Hausa steak (better known as suya) seller in the market, told The Guardian that his suppliers bring the meat in wheelbarrows for me,” adding that “there is no need to cover since the distance is not far, and I will still wash it even if it is far.
“Our abattoir is not far. It is just about a three-minute walk from here. So they kill the animal, cut the meat properly, and move it to this place. The truth is that it is not my business even if it is not covered because I will still wash it, and roast the meat before selling to my customers,” he said.
At the abattoir located in the area, where all manner of persons struggle to slaughter animals, water is usually drawn from a dirty pond, just as flies freely perch and dance around the generated debris and animal remains.
Onibu Ore Abattoir, Iwo Road, Ibadan.
A lady, who introduced herself as an official of the Veterinary Department of the Enugu State Government, said that her duty is to collect approved fees for slaughtering different animals.
Also, at the Mammy Market located inside the 82 Division, Nigeria Army, Enugu, where an abattoir is near where the meat is sold, butchers use bare hands to convey the meat to where buyers are huddled.
The situation is the same at the Amansea Cattle Market, which is the boundary between the Anambra and Enugu states. Here, meat dealers wait for the product to be brought to them.
In the market, open vans are used to convey the meat because of the distance between the abattoir and the market. As in other cases, a swarm of houseflies usually accompanies the transported meat.
A meat seller in the market, Ike Nwanna, said that the meat is normally brought to the market uncovered.
Zangon, Kakuri, and the Central Market, Kaduna
THE situation is anything but different in Kaduna State, as meat sellers condemn the deplorable state of abattoirs in the state.
Among those who expressed their displeasure with the state of things are meat sellers at Zangon, Kakuri, and the Central Market in Kaduna metropolis, where they complained of a lack of modern slaughter slabs of animals at the abattoirs
At Kakuri, where The Guardian visited, meat sellers were seen converging on the open market site, where cows, goats, and rams are slaughtered, and distributed for sale to customers.
Others came with motorcycles and tricycles to convey their meat to nearby markets in the metropolis for sale to the public.
At the Zangon Cow Market, in Tudun Wada, one of the dealers, Abibu Nura said that there are no modern abattoirs to slaughter animals, except the open space where we always clean up after the day’s work.”
Kazeem Idris, a meat seller at Kakuri market said: “The situation here is bad. We have a space here under this dilapidated building that we use as an abattoir, and from here, the meat is distributed to meat sellers in many locations. There are no modern vans to transport meat, neither is there a modern abattoir to kill the animals.”
Idris appealed to the state government to come to the aid of meat sellers in Kaduna, by building a modern abattoir and also providing modern meat transport trucks.
Between 3,000 and 5,000 cows are slaughtered daily in Oyo State, especially in Ibadan, the state capital. But residents are worried about the unhygienic state of the meat they consume daily.
They also lamented the deplorable state of both government-certified and illegal abattoirs across the state. Apart from the poor state of abattoirs, they expressed worry about the means of transporting the meat to various markets.
While many residents are still baffled by the archaic state of the meat value chain in the state, meat that is brought in to Ojoo, Bodija, or Mokola markets from as far as Moniya, Akinyele, and beyond are still being transported by commercial motorcycles or commercial vehicles.
Turning a blind eye to guidelines, best practices
ISHOLA Alagbe, a butcher in Lagos State is of the view that things have degenerated this much because most Nigerians seem not to be interested in the way, and manner that meat, which they consume, is being handled.
According to him, the unhygienic handling of meat across all abattoirs stems from the average Nigerian’s aloofness, which can also be a cultural thing.
And for things to get better, he insists that the government must be firm in applying sanctions where the need to do so arises. “Without the government showing serious concern, things will remain the way that they are.”
And for Ikenna of Kubwa Abattoir in the FCT there is a need for proper enlightenment of all stakeholders on the dangers of exposing meat to unsafe practices.
He advised the government to be firm in its stance because “most of these butchers are not willing to learn or follow strict hygienic processes. They are just after money.”
Banki Alaiyaki, a trader at Bodija Market, Ibadan, who also expressed worry over poor meat handling in Oyo State, is joining other stakeholders to urge Governor Seyi Makinde, to come up with a policy on meat processing in the state, by studying what Lagos State initiated a couple of years ago – the Eko Meat Van initiative.
‘We are what we eat’
UNHYGIENIC handling of meat from the abattoir to the market can have several serious implications for society.
For instance, improper handling of meat can promote the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, posing a significant public health risk, while outbreaks of food-borne illnesses can lead to increased healthcare costs.
In this light, ensuring hygienic practices throughout the meat supply chain is crucial to safeguard public health, maintain economic stability, and protect the environment.
A private veterinary practitioner and director, Blueblood Vet Limited, Dr Abubakar Bala Muhammad, highlighted the risks of consuming meat treated unhygienically, including food-borne diseases, infections, antibiotic resistance, chemical contamination, and poor-quality meat.
He said: “Unhygienic meats pose high health risks that include food-borne illnesses from bacteria with severe enteritis from salmonellosis, colibacillosis, and listeriosis among others. Infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, brucellosis, and anthrax.
“Also, chemical contamination and meat processing in unhygienic abattoirs can expose consumers to chemicals and pesticides, which can result in cancer. Finally, it also reduces the quality of the meat,” he said.
To address these concerns, Dr Abubakar recommended regular inspection of animals before and after slaughter and conducting thorough education and awareness campaigns for butchers, meat sellers, and consumers.
Also, a senior official from the Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture drew attention to the public health concerns associated with meat transportation.
The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity emphasised that the practice can pose significant risks to consumer health.
A past President of the Nigeria Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA), Dr Godwin Abonyi, regretted that due to poverty, consumers no longer consider what they eat, but for survival.
He stressed that the abnormality stemmed from the neglect of the government to the health and hygiene of the people.
According to him, the way edible meat is processed and sold to the public is completely unacceptable, adding that the whole meat industry in Nigeria is in a terrible state.
“There is a procedure of processing meat that is meant to be consumed by any individual for the sake of the safety of the consumer. The whole abattoir system is dead.
“Public transport vehicles are not suitable for meat transportation due to their lack of refrigeration, temperature control, and hygiene protocols. These vehicles which are often used for both human and animal transportation, increase the risk of disease transmission,” he added.
A veterinary expert in Kaduna, Dr Isa Ahmadu condemned the movement of abattoir effluents in drainages leading from the slaughter hall to the soak-away pits saying: “This microbial degradation encourages the proliferation of flies.”
Speaking on the dangers inherent in the unhealthy transportation of meat meant for human consumption in public vehicles, Dr Samuel Abiodun, a veterinary surgeon emphasised that meat transported in public vehicles can become contaminated during transportation, preparation, or handling by infected food handlers in an unhygienic environment.
“Cholera is a highly contagious disease and is transmitted primarily by ingestion of fecal-contaminated food/water by susceptible persons. Foods are likely to be fecal contaminated from the market, transportation, or during preparation, particularly by infected food handlers in an unhygienic environment.”
Effective partnerships for capacity building
FOR the Director of Veterinary Services and overseer of the abattoirs in the FCT, Dr Idris Ademoh, as a way of addressing observed breaches, addressing challenges, and safeguarding public health, urgent measures are being undertaken for a complete overhaul of the veterinary public health system in the FCT, as approved by the minister.
He said: “There is nothing wrong with slaughtering animals on the floor. What is most important is that it should be done within a hygienic environment. When these abattoirs were established in the early 1980s, the objective of this FCT was to have five abattoirs across the city. They never envisaged this population explosion.
“A lot of work is being done as a matter of urgency as the minister has approved a complete overhaul of the veterinary public health system of the FCT. Abattoir has a public health aspect, economic aspect, and social aspect. We have to ensure these aspects are well managed. We have close to 50 veterinary doctors in all the abattoirs. That is purely for the FCT.”
On the transportation of meat, the director said there are plans to collaborate with the private sector interested in the transportation of meat following a set standard that will be provided.
Reacting to the deplorable State of Abattoir in Rivers State, the Commissioner for Environment, Sydney Tambari Gbara, said the ministry has taken note of the state of abattoir in the state, and measures have been taken to ensure that stakeholders comply with the set standards.
Gbara assured of a total resuscitation of abattoirs, as well as, ensuring that the users adhere to hygienic standards.
To address the situation, the Oyo State government said it has, through the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development provided refrigerated delivery vans aimed at checkmating outbreaks of epidemics or diseases among her residents.
The vans, it said, were presented to butchers at Amosun and Central Abattoir Markets.
The state’s Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Olasunkanmi Olaleye, agreed that conveying meat with open vans and trucks is not only dangerous to residents’ health but also belittles the state and is untidy for the environment.
When The Guardian reached out to the spokesperson for the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture, Nike Sodipo, she simply said: “It’s a work in progress,” and declined to answer other questions.
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