Inside Karu abattoir where exploitation of minors reigns

In another group are those aged 15 and above; then there are those who are probably in their 30s or 40s. They all form a small part of the team–all these females, young or not, are an integral part of the Karu abattoir, a government-run slaughter house that serves as the main source of meat […]

In another group are those aged 15 and above; then there are those who are probably in their 30s or 40s. They all form a small part of the team–all these females, young or not, are an integral part of the Karu abattoir, a government-run slaughter house that serves as the main source of meat supply to a large swathe of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). And all have one thing in common; they are victims of a vicious network of different forms of exploitation.
These young women play a simple, but yet painful role in the meat supply chain in the ‘Centre of Unity,’ as Abuja is so-called. This pain becomes glaring at the sight of some of them enduring the heat of the sun as well as from the fire used to roast the skin of the slaughtered cattle they must prepare for the market in order to make a living.
The money they make daily per head is the sum of N2000, but when they go the extra mile to wash the meat, it earns them an additional N500, they reveal. Here, their bodies glisten with sweat against dried blood, while their eyes squint now and again before the fire that emits a continuous cloud of smoke, while all around, able-bodied men hack into animal flesh and bones in the same environment. This is where tables bearing meat accompany the burning sight which runs wet down a slight valley cut off by a small thicket. The fire, smoke and slippery ground cannot be comfortable to a first time visitor.   
Another category of work the women engage in is the carrying of heavy loads of meat from the butchering point within the abattoir, beyond the gates where bulk buyers wait with their trucks or vans. “We make roughly about N1, 500 per day,” one of them says. “Every trip, depending on the weight of what I carry, earns me N100 or N50. Any girl that wants to work here simply walks into the premises and she would definitely get what to do.”
Some of the women wear uniform green gowns, while others do not. This may justify why fresh hands easily come in and how many are not in uniform, probably implying the non-permanent nature of their work.Among the girls, some still desire to go back to school after a while. “When the men here make advances towards us, we keep refusing,” one says.
Outside the gate, a group of eight-year-olds roam the street with large basins in their hands. They hang around, awaiting any opportunity to offer their services to customers that wish to have their goods carried from inside the abattoir– these children reside in the area. When they notice a prospective customer, they gather around in a bid to outdo one another. “What would you like us to carry for you?” they ask eagerly.   
Because the abattoir has a food market as its neighbour, the women also take large chunks of meat there. Thus, when coming back they are obligated to fetch a pail of water. 
The abattoir is stuck in the midst of residences and is always a beehive of activity, starting from the early hours of the morning. Thus, it is a source of employment to the youth. A meandering road brings one to the gate where meat vans are usually parked. On the left side is the slaughter slab where men in boots work almost non-stop. The sight of blood is not unfamiliar here, with a good number of customers and other workers around, helping in one way or the other. Among these are always the women who deliver meat to multiple points within and around the premises– these include carrying meat to or from the slaughter slab and also delivering to the meat market within the abattoir.
It was reported last year that despite the deplorable condition of Karu abattoir, the Federal Capital Development Administration (FCDA) gets millions in revenue from it and the former FCT minister, Aliyu Modibbo, had promised that a modern abattoir would be built at Tunga-Maje, but years after residents of the nation’s capital are still waiting for the government to deliver on its promise for a more modern and hygienic slaughter house.