Protest against armed herders attacks: Benue people shun beef, turn to pork

There seem to be a silent revolution against the consumption of beef, popularly called “cow meat” in Benue at the moment.

Before now Benue was known for the large scale consumption of beef in this part of the country; however, strong indications at the moment suggests otherwise.

The people have turned their backs to beef consumption and decended on pork which though a delicacy for the people, cannot be compared to the level they devoured beef.

The resort to pork has suddenly forced the   price of life pig out of the reach of the few that hitherto consume it, while butchers of pig who sell to consumers have taken advantage of the of the new development to hike the price of the delicacy.

With the development an average size of pork which hitherto sold for N10,000 now goes for as high as N35,000, a development that has forced many to seek alternative sources of protein.

Meanwhile, findings indicated that the development may not be unconnected  to ceaseless attacks and killings in the state by armed herdsmen who have continue to unleash mayhem on several communities of the state.

It was gathered that not a few indigenes of the state have stopped eating beef probably in protect over the activities of armed herdsmen in the state.

This was much alluded to by a renowned pig butcher on the popular Ishaya Bakut road, Mr. Jonathan Aer, who blamed the surge in the price of pork on the level of patronage the delicacy now enjoys from majority of the people of the state.

He pointed out that the flow of customers is almost overwhelming the butchers, adding that the situation would have got out of hand but for the price that now serve as a check on the exploding patronage.

Aer, who exonerated pig butchers for the skyrocketing price of pork in the state pointed out that “the steady rise in pork started just few years ago when the attacks and killings in our communities by armed herdsmen intensified.

“Many of the people who were not known for eating pork as a ready delicacy for soup suddenly abandoned beef and resorted to eating pork. And by the day the level of patronage has continued to soar and the implication of that is what we are witnessing today.

“The truth of the matter is that many families have jettisoned beef for pork because of the level of attacks and killings our people suffered in the rural communities all because herders want to graze their cattle.

“You cannot kill innocent farmers because you want to graze cows on their farmland that you want to eventually sell to the same people and expect that they continue to patronise you.

“So as more and more people turn to pork in protest, the price keeps increasing even from where we source it because sometimes we do not get enough to buy to slaughter for consumers. The development has steadily impacted prices and people are paying more for pork.”