Butchers from the 11 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and 14 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital have raised an alarm that relocation of all butchers in Ibadan to Amosun village housed by Akinyele LGA will ignite fresh crisis between them and the Hausa cattle rearers in the state. 

The butchers while addressing journalists last Thursday at a press conference held in collaboration with Veteran Organization for Human Rights Initiative (VOHRI) in Ibadan, observed that the purported relocation would cause more harm than good if allowed to see the light of the day.

According to the Chairman of National Union of Butchers (NUB), Aare Latosa LCDA, Alhaji Ganiyu Olobo and his colleagues from Egbeda Local Government Area, Alhaji Mukaila Otedola; Ibadan North LGA, Mr. Kehinde Oladejo; Ido LCDA, Mr. Alidu Tajudeen; Akinyeke LGA, Alhaji Oroyinyin Adeleke; Ibadan South West, Mr. Adebayo Wasiu and Mr. Sheriff Iyanda who spoke on behalf of their colleagues hinted that Amosun village is very close to Akinyele town where a large number of Hausa cattle rearers settled.

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They warned that the closeness of the the two, Akinyele town and Amosun village will lead to fresh crisis among the butchers and Hausa cattle rearers.

The butchers while urging Governor Abiola Ajimobi of the state to prevail on the matter and allow butchers to continue with their businesses in their various locations, disclosed that it was year 2000 clash between the butchers and the Hausa cattle traders that made the former Governor, late Alhaji Lam Adesina to relocate the Hausa cattle rearers to Akinyele town.

They noted that the relocation which is being championed by some elements in the union in connection with a private firm will ignite fresh crisis due to the closeness of Akinyele and Amosun, the proposed abattoir.

“The proposed abattoir at Amosun village is close to Akinyele town where a large number of Hausa cattle rearers have settled. It was the killing arising from the clash between butchers and Hausa cattle traders in 2000 that made late Alhaji Lam Adesina to relocate the Hausa cattle traders to Akinyele town.

“This illegal relocation order given to the butchers will ignite fresh crisis. This is a bad omen and a security threat to the state, especially when electioneering period is at hand”, they said.

The butchers, who described the purported relocation as handiwork of some elements who are using the name of the state governor to coerce butchers in Ibadan stressed that Ajimobi during their meeting with him gave an order that butchers are free to operate anywhere that is convenient for them.

They added they were surprised that some leaders and the private firm are now forcing the butchers in Ibadan to relocate to Amosun village, the order they said was in contrary to the agreement reached with the governor.

They added that apart from security threat and untold hardship the relocation will cause, many youths and many traders will loose their sources of income due to the distance of the village to other areas.

“Many other petty traders who receive their livelihood because of the presence of the butchers in their locality will definitely lose their job and source of livelihood. It should be noted that a good number of youths are employed at the various local government abattoir and this brings employment and source of income to them. Relocation will cause unemployment and by extension youth restiveness.

“As a result of unfavorably location of the Amosun village abattoir, there will be increase in brigand robber, kidnapping and serious threat to life of both the butchers and buyers. The buyers would have to go extra miles before procuring beef, transport fee will increase and price of beef will also increase forcing untold hardship to the buyers.

“It will therefore unspeakable, unconstitutional and illegal for a group of people to arrogate to themselves what do not belong to them hijacking the function of a local government and by extension function of the state government to build a private abattoir in partnership with corrupt members of the National Union of Butchers, Ibadan chapter and later used the good name of our governor to make a relocation orders concerning other members of the butchers to go to Amosun village.

“We therefore appeal that this illegal order should quashed”.

VOHRI Lead Activist, Comrade Sakirullah Ayobami and General Secretary, Comrade Adekunle Abimbola while speaking noted that though private ownership of abattoir is allowed, coercion of butchers to move to the village is illegal.

VOHRI said , “Building of slaughter houses, slabs is one of the functions of local government. Private owned abattoir is allowed but coercion of butchers to operate in a privately owned abattoir is illegal and unconstitutional and runs contrary to the fourth schedule 1 (e) of the local government functions.

“It is constitutional for each local government to establish abattoir”.

They added that “Relocation order was a verbal expression and did not come from the state government but evil machinations of some disgruntled elements.

“Consequent upon intimidation, anxiety, serious threat to life and violation of the fundermantal human rights of the butchers in Ibadan occasioned by the fake relocation order issued by the aggrieved members of butchers in persons of Alhaji Azeez Alagunfon, Biliaminu Eleshimeta, Kehnide Tewogbade, Fatal Alagunfon, Alhaji Saliu, Alhaji Latest Adegoke and others.

“We are therefore appealing to you sir to use your good office to investigate thoroughly for justice to be earned. The action of the above-mentioned runs contrary to the fundermantal rights of the people by virtue of section 33, 34,36,39 and 40 of the constitution of Nigeria, 2010 as amended.

“This illegal partnership with the owner of abattoir at Amosun village which resulted in the blanket order given to butchers in all the eleven local government in Ibadan to relocate is an aberration of the fourth schedule 1 (e) of functions of local government”.