The importation of ram from Niger has reduced.

About two weeks to the celebration of the Eid-el-Kabir Islamic festival, ram prices have increased by 40 to 50 per cent, from last year, in Sokoto State.

The festival is celebrated annually by billions of Muslims worldwide with an important part of it being the killing of rams.

Most of the rams killed by Nigerian Muslims are gotten from the Northern part of the country and Niger republic

A market survey conducted in Sokoto on Thursday at the Central livestock market showed that there was scarcity of ram.

The Chairman, Livestock Traders Association in the market, Lawalli Bello, said that the prices of rams ranged between N20 thousand and N100 thousand depending on the size and purchasing power of the buyer.

He said a ram, which sold for N20 thousand last year, is now being sold for N30 thousand.

He attributed the reason for increase in the cost of the animal to low importation from the neighbouring Niger republic.

“Importation of livestock from Niger contributes to reducing their prices in Nigeria and this is not happening as expected this year,” he said.

The reduced importation of the rams from Niger might be attributed to the increased security at the borders as a result of the security situation in Nigeria. The Federal Government has taken steps to check the unguarded influx of aliens into Nigeria from neighbouring West African countries –particularly Niger republic- with some of the borders closed.

A cross section of the residents of Sokoto expressed fears that they may not be able buy rams to celebrate the festival due to the harsh economic situation in the country.

The Eid-el-Kabir comes up on October 25.