Illegal Cattle Slaughter Casts Shadow Over Tabaski Feast in N’Djamena

By Bachirou Elhadji BDO

While the streets of N’Djamena bustled with the spirit of Tabaski, a sacred time of devotion and generosity for Muslims, a darker reality took place behind the scenes.

Informal networks took advantage of the occasion to carry out illegal animal slaughter, in blatant disregard for public health regulations.

In several neighborhoods of the Chadian capital, visibly sick or uninspected cattle were sacrificed illegally, often hidden under the guise of generosity.

These were “gifts” offered to the faithful, yet their origin and health safety raised serious concerns.

Alerted to the dangerous practice, a team from the Ministry of Livestock carried out a field operation to identify and dismantle these parallel circuits.

Acting under the instructions of Minister Prof. Abdérahim Awat Atteïb, several carcasses from unauthorized slaughters were seized and immediately incinerated.

“There can be no generosity that endangers the health of our citizens,” the minister said, firmly opposing any leniency in the face of such health risks.

Illegal slaughter not only bypasses mandatory veterinary inspections but also exposes the population to serious dangers: food poisoning, bacterial infections, and the transmission of animal diseases to humans.

Each year, these practices resurface around major religious holidays.

Driven by social pressure and the desire to participate in the feast despite limited means, some vendors and well-meaning donors turn to low-quality animals, evading all health oversight.

The Ministry is calling for a collective mobilization to break away from these perilous habits.

Citizens were urged to remain vigilant and to use only official slaughter channels, the only guarantee of meat safe for consumption.