Abuja – Muslims across the country are complaining about the high cost of rams, cows and goats a few days to the celebration of Eid-il-Kabir.

The Muslim faithful expressed the worry about the rising cost in a nationwide survey conducted on Tuesday.

A check in Auchi and its environs showed that the prices of the animals increased by more than 80 per cent compared with the range in the same period in 2010.

A small size ram which sold for N20,000 last year now goes N35,000.

The buyers of the animals, mostly Muslims who are preparing for the Eid-il-Kabir celebration, said the sharp price hike might affect their ability to slaughter an animal for the Sallah sacrifice.

Commenting on the situation, an adherent, Mrs Faith Agbeadokhai, complained that she had been roaming the market for hours hoping to buy a ram at a reasonable amount but had no option than to buy it the way it was.

“Although it is not obligatory for every Muslim to slaughter an animal, we just try to do it to fulfil all righteousness.”

Another Muslim buyer, Mr Raheem Garuba, also said that animal slaughtering was not obligatory but added that “slaughtering of ram to celebrate Sallah is kind of a must for those who can afford it.

“I have no alternative than to wait until the last minute before the Sallah to see if the price will come down.”

Mr Lucky Ajayi, who was also in the market to buy a ram, complained that “I really do not know what is happening; the prices are just too high.

“What are our leaders doing to see to it that the poor masses have a place in this country?”

On the other hand, sellers have attributed the high prices of the animals to transportation costs and the prevailing market situation.

They complained that it cost them more to transport the animals and other goods down to the market than it cost in 2010.

A ram seller, Alhaji Buba Ibrahim, said that transporting a trailer-load of the animals from Gibia in Katsina State to Auchi had increased from N150,000 to N250,000.

Ibrahim said “it is not as if we are just interested in increasing prices; we sell according to the landing cost.

“Do you know that we go as far as Chad and Niger Republic to buy these animals?

“We bring in animals from neighbouring countries because we know that what we have in the country will not be enough to meet our local demand.”

Mr Garuba Key, a cow seller, who could not attribute the high prices of the animals to transportation costs, said that the smallest cow which sold for N50,000 last year was now going between N68,000 and N75,000.

On his part, Malam Zakiri Kano, a goat seller, agreed that the prices were on the high side and attributed the trend to the prevailing economic situation in the country.

He put the price of the smallest goat at N12,000.

However, the story is different in Katsina State, as the prices of rams have crashed five days to the Eid-il-Kabir celebration.

A survey conducted by NAN at the markets in Katsina, Dankama, Mai’adua, Jibia, Charanchi, Kafur and Dandume showed that the prices were down, compared with the levels in the same period in 2010.

A ram which went for N30,000 last year now cost about N25,000 in all the markets visited.

The sellers said they had to lower the prices because of the general poor economy and the non-payment of October salaries to workers in the state.

One of the ram sellers at Yar’kutungu market in Katsina, Malam Marwana Lawal, complained that he hardly sold two rams a day this year, compared to the 10 to 15 rams he usually sold a day last year.

“The poor sales are caused by poverty among the generality of the people in the state,” he said. (NAN)