Karu abattoir: The nightmare of butchers, residents

Despite generating millions of Naira annually from traders and livestock activities, Karu Abattoir remains poorly equipped and lacks basic infrastructure.  The lairage, the section where animals are kept before inspection and slaughter, has become a nightmare for traders, especially during the rainy season. Without proper drainage and modern facilities, the area often turns into a […]

Despite generating millions of Naira annually from traders and livestock activities, Karu Abattoir remains poorly equipped and lacks basic infrastructure. 

The lairage, the section where animals are kept before inspection and slaughter, has become a nightmare for traders, especially during the rainy season. Without proper drainage and modern facilities, the area often turns into a muddy swamp filled with animal waste. 

Every day, thousands of cattle are transported from different parts of northern Nigeria to Karu, one of Abuja’s major government-managed abattoirs. A single cow in the market can cost as much as N3 million, depending on size and quality.

According to the secretary of the Association of Cattle Traders at the abattoir, Awal Musa Zaranda, hundreds of cows are slaughtered on a daily basis in Karu Abattoir; and the number is higher during festivities.

The government collects N3,300 as revenue on every cow processed at the facility. This includes N300 gate entry payment for each cow and N3,000 as inspection and slaughter fee.

According to Zaranda, the market generates huge revenue, in the tune of N30 million to N40 million annually, yet little attention has been given to improve its condition. 

According to him, transporting cattle from the lairage to the slaughter section becomes extremely difficult during the rainy season even though the distance is less than two kilometers. Traders and workers are forced to move through contaminated water and thick mud before accessing the slaughter area.

He explained that the poor condition of the facility increases labour costs and also puts livestock at risk. In some cases, cattle fall into deep mud and suffocate after their nostrils become buried in the sludge before workers can rescue them.

Although veterinary services are made available in the abattoir, the condition of the environment does not support the healthy living of the animals. 

The head of the Department of Public Health overseeing abattoirs in Abuja, Dr Abubakar Iliyasu, explained that the slaughtering process involves several stages that are necessary to ensure that infected animals or contaminated meat do not reach consumers.

According to him, animals are first allowed to rest in the lairage before undergoing ante-mortem inspection. “Any animal suspected of infection is closely monitored during slaughter. Cases where the animal’s organs are affected, it is removed and condemned. In severe cases where the infection spreads through the entire body, the whole carcass is destroyed,” he said.

However, hygiene conditions at the abattoir remain a major concern. Due to the absence of modern slaughtering equipment and facilities, animals are still slaughtered on bare floors. Although management officials insist that basic operational facilities have been provided, traditional slaughtering practices continue at the abattoir. 

Despite the known health dangers associated with the practice of using scrap tyres, labourers within the abattoir use tyres to roast animal skin,

Medical experts warn that burning tyres releases toxic chemicals and heavy metals into the air and onto the meat. These substances, including lead, zinc and carcinogenic compounds, can accumulate in the human body and increase the risk of cancer and organ damage.

In this section of the abattoir – flaring the animal skin – survival is about speed and time is everything, so corners are cut.

Friday Nnamani, the head of the roasting unit, mentioned that earning money in this business depends on the number of goats roasted, with each goat costing N200. Therefore, it is essential to work quickly to maximize profit.

Located within a densely populated residential area, the abattoir also exposes nearby residents to constant air pollution and offensive odour.

A resident of Karu, Samson Chibu, who has lived near the abattoir for over 20 years, said the activities at the facility had negatively affected his health. He recalled being diagnosed with poor blood circulation and hypertension after years of inhaling polluted air from the environment.

“When I visited the hospital, the doctor mentioned three factors that could lead to poor blood circulation. One of these factors was the constant inhalation of polluted air. I had to admit that I have been dealing with polluted air for a long time due to the activities of Karu abattoir. It has really impacted my health. I can only attribute my wellbeing to the grace of God and the people around me who were able to revive me when I fell sick. When I arrived at the hospital, my blood pressure was 190. The doctor mentioned several factors that could have contributed to my condition. While I was not directly involved with two of those factors, I immediately recognised the relevance of the air I breathe. I have been inhaling bad air for the past 20 years, so I believe this could be a significant contributor to my illnesses,” Chibu said.

He also criticised the way waste is managed at the facility. According to him, blood and wastewater from slaughtered animals are discharged directly into nearby streams already blocked by heaps of refuse.

Environmental degradation around the abattoir is severe. Residents say aquatic life has disappeared from the area, while open dumping of animal carcasses and condemned organs has turned parts of the environment into hazardous waste sites.

During rainfall, contaminated waste is washed into the nearby river, polluting water sources used by surrounding communities. Residents described the smell from the abattoir as unbearable.

A native of Karu, Bamaiyi Giwa, said authorities failed to properly consider the environmental impact before establishing the abattoir in the area. “In every project you have to look at environmental assessment, both positively and negatively, but it is unfortunate that for the past 20 years, Karu abattoir has impacted the community negatively. 

Giwa noted that the abattoir is located close to a river that was used for household chores; consequently, residents have lost the use of that river. “If you go to the river today you would see fresh blood flowing from the abattoir,” he said. 

He said that people in the area used to depend on that water, but today, they cannot even wash their clothes in the same river, no thanks to the abattoir.

Giwa also said that in addition to environmental degradation, there is also a growing security threat as drug dealers and miscreants are exploiting the poorly regulated and overcrowded environment for their operation; hence the area is becoming a haven for criminal activities.

He said that many young people in the community had dropped out of school and become involved in substance abuse to negative influences around the abattoir environment. He called on agencies such as the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency to intensify monitoring and enforcement in the area. He said subsequent governments had wanted to relocate the abattoir to no avail.

“If you go there without a camera, stand and observe what is happening by the fences of the market close to the riverside. That is where hard drugs are sold. The community is at various risks. Almost all the houses in Karu are victims of the dangerous activities happening in the abattoir. 

Peace Danladi ,another resident who lives few kilometres from the abattoir, but hasn’t been long in the neighbourhood long,already she speaks with the exhaustion of someone who has endured years.

Danladi, a mother of two notes that the smoke from the abattoir is excessive, especially during festive periods. “They burn more tyres and waste when demand is high. My home is constantly covered in black soot.”

She said she and her children are tired of scrubbing their appliances, the refrigerator, the cooker, even the insides of their cupboards only to wake up to a fresh layer of grime the next morning.

“I clean every two days as the soot gets into everything,” she said. “We’re tired, this isn’t living but survival.”

Her hope, she explains, is simple: “I want a better life. I want to pack out of this environment.”

But like many low-income residents in Karu, moving to an uoscale environment remains a dream waiting to become reality, not a plan as rent is cheap there for a reason.

Shehu Abdullah, a meat retailer who regularly patronises the Karu Abattoir, said he couldn’t confidently speak on the level of hygiene practices being maintained at the facility because he purchases meat directly from wholesale dealers operating within the abattoir. 

However, he expressed concern over the poor state of infrastructure at the facility, describing it as unbefitting for one of the busiest and most popular abattoirs serving residents of the Federal Capital Territory.

According to him Karu Abattoir plays a major role in supplying meat to thousands of households and businesses across Abuja, and as such, it should serve as a standard and model for other abattoirs across Nigeria. 

He lamented that despite its importance, the facility lacks the modern infrastructure expected of a major public slaughterhouse in the nation’s capital.

Abdullah further noted that the situation becomes worse during the rainy season, when large sections of the abattoir become muddy, waterlogged, and difficult for both traders and customers to navigate. He said the poor environmental condition not only creates discomfort for workers and buyers but also raises concerns about public health and sanitation.

He appealed to the relevant authorities to urgently intervene by upgrading the facilities, improving sanitation, and modernizing the abattoir to meet acceptable standards. He added that such improvements would benefit meat sellers, consumers, and the general public while also enhancing food safety and hygiene in the FCT.

In response to the situation, the management of Karu abattoir stated that measures had been put in place to address some of the challenges.

Dr Karnak Dandam, the Director of Veterinary Services for the FCT Administration, acknowledged that the abattoir is overpopulated. He stated, “You know what happens in such situations; there are bound to be activities that are not good. However, we have security personnel monitoring the area, which is why we have raised our fence to prevent unnecessary intrusions into the abattoir. While some individuals come to perform legitimate work, there are others who engage in questionable activities. We always find ways to identify and remove those individuals from the abattoir.”

Dandam disclosed that the mandatory secretary of the Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat recently inaugurated a committee focused on upgrading the four abattoirs in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

“This committee, of which I was the chairperson, included experts from the engineering department. We conducted assessments of all four publicly owned abattoirs, as well as private ones, evaluating their needs for transformation to meet modern standards. The committee has submitted its report along with a detailed plan, and I can assure you that the administration is actively addressing the necessary changes. There is strong confidence that the minister will approve the proposals, leading to the successful transformation of our abattoirs.

“A growing city needs to be fed, but it also requires protection. For Karu abattoir to effectively serve Abuja, an immediate action is necessary. This includes modernising facilities, improving drainage systems and ensuring clean and hygienic slaughtering processes. Effective waste management is also essential, which should include functional incinerators.

“We must eliminate dangerous practices, such as burning tyres. Regulations need to be enforced, and the facility must be expanded, reorganised and secured. 

“Most importantly, the voice of the community must be heard because ultimately, this issue is not just about meat, it is about health and the kind of city Abuja aspires to be,” he said.