Five people arrested for selling meat from dead cows in Borno

The Borno State Police Command has arrested five people for allegedly selling meat from dead cows to unsuspecting buyers in Maiduguri.

The police said the suspects were caught on July 29 by the Violent Crime Response Unit, known as the Crack Squad, after receiving reliable information.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Nahum Daso, shared this news in a statement on Tuesday. He said these arrests are part of the command's efforts to protect public health and prevent activities that could harm residents.

The suspects are Modu Umar, 43; Abba Mohammed, 24; Adam Abubakar, 21; Faruq Gambo, 19; and Mada Usman, 24.

Daso explained that initial investigations showed the suspects worked together to get cows that had died. They butchered the bodies and sold the meat to roadside vendors.

The statement also mentioned that the suspects were caught with the body of a dead cow, which they wanted to take to the Morumti area of Maiduguri for further processing and selling.

“The suspects allegedly conspired to obtain cattle found dead, butchered the carcasses and supplied the meat to roadside meat vendors for onward sale to members of the public,” the statement read.

Daso said the suspects are still in police custody while investigations continue. They want to find out how big the operation was, trace the distribution network, and identify others involved.

He also noted that the suspects would be taken to court after the investigations are done.

In response, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Naziru Abdulmajid, condemned this practice. He called it a significant danger to public health.

He assured residents that the police would keep working with government agencies and stakeholders to stop the sale and consumption of unhealthy meat in the state.

“As part of preventive measures, the Commissioner of Police will hold a community meeting with abattoir operators, butchers' associations, livestock dealers, meat vendors, relevant regulatory authorities, and other important stakeholders. This will help improve monitoring, promote compliance with public health and food safety standards, and develop ways to prevent this from happening again,” the statement added.

The command urged meat vendors and buyers to stay alert and report any suspicious activities related to the slaughter, processing, transportation, or sale of meat to the nearest police station or relevant regulatory authorities.