• Abuja haven where drugs, sex meet, mix freely
From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Karu Abattoir, Abuja and environs have continued to grow in leaps and bounds in terms of population, commercial and other sundry activities typical of such an environment, including drug and substance consumption, as well as prostitution.
Likewise, crime and criminality have taken a different dimension, becoming a source of concern to abattoir users and the neighbourhoods with teenage children. Hooliganism, pick-pockets and other crimes are on the alarming rise in area.
The neighbouring households, are battling hard to protect their children especially the female ones from being misused or abused by the abattoir operators, especially when they act on influence of drugs or other hard substances.
A former resident, Emem Emem, said she was forced to terminate her rent and packed out of the neighbourhood because she has been robbed twice at night while returning home from work: “I had to relocate to the other side of Karu for safety.”
Another former resident, Omenka Umeh: “I work in a hotel in town. I go out very early in the morning sometimes especially when I am on morning duty, and often return late when I am on afternoon duty. I have been harassed several times and dispossessed of my belongings. My house has also been burgled twice. I was left with the only option of relocation.”
Yet another resident, Kingsley Ibeh, said he came down hard on his son one day when he discovered that he was being “too friendly” with one of the people there: “Our compound is adjacent the abattoir and it’s not fenced. Each time I am out of the house, I always mandate my wife or anyone else to stay behind and watch over the kids to avoid being abused by these abattoir operators.
“One of the days that I returned early, I saw my son playing freely with one of the boys in the market. I didn’t act immediately, I lured him inside the house and dealt with him massively. Since then, he has never had anything to do with the boy.
“Many children in the neighbourhood have been badly influenced by the boys and girls inside the abattoir. I could have left this house long ago, but I don’t have enough money to do that, and the cost of rent is rising daily.”
An official of Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC) who lives within the vicinity said the level of drug consumption and other hard substances are alarming: “If not that I live in my own house, I would have packed out of this vicinity.
“It is a horrible environment to live and train children. I am conscious of my children. I keep eyes on them always. They hardly go out of the gate. I was forced to send two of them to boarding school just to keep them away from the house.
“Another reason was that FRSC has staff quarters a few metres away from my house. I always join the staff bus to work every day. But in spite of that, I am considering selling my house to move out of the vicinity.
“That place is absolutely unhealthy for child upbringing. Many houses around have become empty because the tenants couldn’t afford to see their children fall into the hands of bad people there.”
Kamarudeen, an official in the abattoir, said: “The influx of some boys from some northern locations is responsible for the rise in crime in the market. FCT Administration needs to quickly embark on cleansing work to rid the environment of bad eggs that have overgrown the market officials.
“After that, the FCT Administration should quickly complete the abandoned projects in the market, which started since 2018. The projects will help to modernise the butchering activities in the market, thereby winning public confidence.”
“Consumption of codeine and other hard drugs is one of the challenges of the market. A section of the market has been taken over by drug addicts including women. It gets worse at night in spite of several police interventions.
“The level of drugs and other hard substances being consumed in the abattoir is huge. At night, the entire atmosphere is saturated with the smoke of Indian hemp. Even the banned codeine and other drugs are being sold in the open, while commercial sex workers complete the circle.
“These people cme from neighbouring communities to service the sexual needs of the young men. Officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and police often visit the market unannounced and make some arrests. But that has not stopped the situation.
“Several individuals, religious and other non-governmental organisations have held enlightenment classes in the market to educate the people on the negative effects of drug consumption to their health. All went on deaf ears as people return to their vomit shortly after each class.”
Another market official, Kabir Minjibir, appealed to the FCT Administration to re-mobilise contractors handling the modern abattoir building project to quickly complete the work. Our hope was on the project to bring sanity to the market. It was dashed some years ago when construction work was stalled. We appeal to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to take necessary steps and resume work in the market.
“Based on what we were told and we saw, the new abattoir building will be equipped with modern machines for slaughtering, skinning, water, waste management and recycling and other benefits, in addition to the revenue that it will generate. We are optimistic that completing the construction work will bring some level of sanity in the market.”
The abattoir also serves as place for livestock business. There are three or more other FCTA-recognised abattoirs in Abuja, located at Deidei, Kubwa and Gwagwalada, even though they fall short of global standard.
Karu Abattoir lacks modern facilities required for clean meat and animal skin production. It also lacks water supply. At N200 per bucket, women fetch water for the butchers, and that further expose them to abuse from slaughters.
The stench from the raw meat, animal remains and rising burn fire that saturate the airspace draw the attention of passers bye.
Every morning, branded vehicles converge on the location for business. Those who may not physically visit the location demand for home services, which most of the time are delivered in unhealthy manner.
Epidemic outbreak is imminent. From the entrance to the abattoir to the side line operations, the place is saturated with offensive oozes harmful to human health and the environment. The entire atmosphere has been turned to black.
At Karu Abattoir, operators are mostly single young men, with few married men whose wives are at different locations. Perhaps the reason for the influx of commercial sex workers, while drugs and other harmful substances are traded freely.