Four days after the Eid-el Kabir celebration, ram dealers in Maiduguri and other parts of Borno State are still counting heavy losses as the period for the slaughter of sacrificial animals has officially ended.
By Islamic tradition, the sacrifice ends three days after Eid prayers, which fell on May 29, 2026. However, livestock traders said poor sales and low patronage have left them stranded with unsold animals and mounting debts.
A visit by Daily Trust to major livestock markets in Bulunkutu, Kasuwa Shanu, Baga Road, NEPA, and Airport Junction revealed rows of unsold rams, with traders sitting idle under makeshift sheds.
One dealer at the NEPA livestock market, Shehu Haladu, said he brought 230 rams from Mubi in Adamawa State but was unable to sell even half.
“I only sold 85 rams so far. Last year, I bought 100 and sold them within a day, so I increased my supply this year,” he said.
“Now I still have 95 rams left. I have lost not less than N7 million.”
Haladu said he spent about N800,000 transporting the animals to Maiduguri and incurred daily feeding costs of about N80,000.
“Sometimes I have to sell some at giveaway prices just to feed the rest,” he added, attributing the poor sales to economic hardship affecting buyers.
Another dealer, Ahmed Ishaq, said he took bank loans and travelled to the Niger Republic to purchase rams in anticipation of profit.
“I managed to sell some, but about 50 per cent are still unsold. This has never happened to me before,” he said.
Ishaq said he has about 57 rams remaining and is struggling with feeding, security, and transport costs. “I don’t know what to do. If I take them home, I cannot feed them, and I cannot sell at a loss anymore,” he lamented.
At Bulunkutu market, Modu Gana said he sourced 50 rams from various markets across Yobe and Borno States, including Ngamdu, Babangida, Kukareta and Ngelzarma.
“I bought at different prices—N250,000, N300,000 and N350,000—but I had to sell below cost to repay debts,” he said.
He added that many traders are facing similar difficulties, with creditors already demanding repayment.
Another dealer, Ibrahim Abuna of Baga Road market, said he still has nine rams unsold out of 22 brought for sale.
“This is the only business I depend on every year. I don’t know what to do now,” he said.
A buyer, Danladi Tailor, said he deliberately waited until the last day to purchase, hoping for lower prices.
“Earlier, prices were between N250,000 and N400,000. Now I can buy the same ram for about N250,000 or less,” he said.
At all the markets visited, only a few buyers were seen negotiating prices, while most traders remained seated under trees, staring at unsold livestock.
Despite the price drop, many traders said they are still unable to recover their investments. They called on both state and federal governments to provide relief support to help sustain their businesses.
