Nigeria: Maiduguri bears brunt of livestock market shut down

In Nigeria’s eastern city of Maiduguri, which is a Muslim majority, livestock sales are the main source of income.

But the livestock market, which is one of the largest in Africa has been emptied of its animals since Nigeria’s military closed it down early this month.

Authorities said the proceeds from stolen animal sales were helping finance Boko Haram.

As a result of the closure, thousands of people have lost jobs, beef is no longer available and animals are dying in sealed abattoirs.

The closure is affecting markets as far away as Lagos, the commercial capital more than 1,500 kilometers southwest of Maiduguri, where cattle prices are rising daily, according to Fox 13.

Maiduguri’s livestock market was the last major market operating in the region where the insurgency has closed at least eight others.