Meet Sokoto merchant who trades in wild animals

Rabilu Haruna of Sabon Birni local government area of Sokoto State has been plying an unusual trade, supplying wild and domestic animals to select customers. “I was a cloth and shoe merchant until 1999 when I ventured into selling wild and domestic animals, as well as choice birds to royal families, politicians and well-to do […]

Rabilu Haruna of Sabon Birni local government area of Sokoto State has been plying an unusual trade, supplying wild and domestic animals to select customers. “I was a cloth and shoe merchant until 1999 when I ventured into selling wild and domestic animals, as well as choice birds to royal families, politicians and well-to do individuals,” he said.
Haruna revealed why he chose the trade. “I had always wanted to venture into a vocation that is exclusive, not popular and worthwhile. So one day, somebody came enquiring on how to get a particular animal and I volunteered to bring it. My entry into the business was by trial.”
The first transaction involving a former local government chairman fetched him N33,000 from a peahen he supplied. “After the first attempt which paid very well, I compiled pictures of varieties of wild and domestic animals, including some birds and insects, which I put in a special album and started going to prominent people to choose which one they may desire to own from the collections.”
Haruna recalled a chance meeting with a professor in Sokoto whom he said challenged his business by requesting for a live hyena. “I brought the hyena and he bought it at the cost of N83,000,” he recollected. On the type of animals and birds he can offer to customers, the traditional title holder of Sarkin Bakin Sabon Birni said he can bring on request animals such as lions, hyenas, gazelles, antelopes, leopard and others.
Haruna said he can make available crocodiles, all types of snakes, including two-headed ones, and scorpions. For horses, he can supply on demand any breed. He disclosed that so far, the animals that he has received the highest pay for is a set of jumping gazelles, which he said he sold to an undisclosed top government official, for reasons he referred to as ‘trad secret.’
The Sarkin Baki said he travels to Zaria, Katsina, Abuja, Zamfara as well as Borno before the advent of the Boko Haram to get his animals and birds. He also travels to Niger Republic, Mali and Sudan. On how he gets the animals: “I’m mostly a middleman between the hunters who catch the animals and buyers.”
Haruna added: “As my business grew, I established contact with all my customers who are all over the nation and I also travel a lot.” He said in his 17 years in the business, he has not suffered any major setback. He however revealed that the most challenging and near impossible request so far made was that of lion cubs.
The Sarkin Baki also said the difficult-to-get animals are giraffes, buffalos, and elephants, which he said are almost extinct in Nigeria.
Asked whether any of his children has indicated interest in his kind of business, Haruna, who has two wives and 14 children, said one of his children, 22-year-old Kabiru, has started showing interest in the business. “I’ve noticed him rearing chickens and some birds, which he sells afterwards.”
Haruna also called for patronage from the government, especially those who operate zoos as a source of internally generated revenue.