(AFP): Almost six million donkeys are slaughtered annually for Chinese medicine, with severe knock-on effects for African villagers who rely on the animals, a UK-based charity said on Thursday.

It is driven by an increase in China’s production of ejiao – a product marketed as a health supplement that uses collagen from donkey skins – which is a $6.8-billion industry, according to China-based research firm Qianzhan.

China, whose donkey population has plummeted from 11 million in 1992 to 1.5 million in 2023, has turned to Africa to meet its demand.

With donkey populations falling, the African Union issued a 15-year moratorium on donkey slaughter last year.

UK-based charity The Donkey Sanctuary said, “the ejiao industry drives a massive global trade in donkey skins, much of it illegal”.

It said around 5.9 million donkeys were killed worldwide last year.

The ejiao trade is expected to require at least 6.8 million donkey skins by 2027. The rising value of donkeys means they have increasingly become targets for criminals.

The Lagos State enforcement squad of the MOE&WR led by KAI operatives on Wednesday burst an illegal abbatoir which was being operated at a private residence at Succo road directly opposite the RRS Barracks and LASTMA Yard in Oko Oba, Agege, arresting some of those found slaughtering animals for public consumption in the location.

The operation followed a tip-off from a whistle blower.

“The enforcement team said, the contaminated meat from cows and goats have been confiscated to prevent it from entering the food chain”.

“This action of the operators of the abbatoir is in defiance of the closure of the Oko Oba Abbatoir and poses great health dangers and environmental risks to the law abiding residents of the area”.

“We need to make it clear that such disregard for public health and sanitation will not be tolerated in Lagos State” .

“Every Government’s primary responsibility is the protection of lives and properties and we will not shirk that responsbbility.”

“We will continue to ensure that only safe and approved public facilities are allowed to operate within our communities.”the statement reads.

A globally recognized women-led non-profit organization, the Life After Abuse Foundation (LAAF), has organised a conference for men, with the theme: “The Dear Men”,which focuses on the struggles and silence of men after facing some sort of emotional bullying/trauma.

The event was held on the 14th of June, 2025 in Lagos State.

According to the convener, Halima Layeni, Founder & Executive Director, the group aims to create a more inclusive and supportive global community where the well-being of men is prioritized and supported.

First speaker: Paul Oyewusi (Founder of Circle Men)

He spoke on “Understanding Trauma in Men”.

He said, “though the society has made the men not to speak up about their daily trauma and emotional stress, but it is imminent for such men to start speaking up and stop being shy. He said, no man planned the trauma they pass through while growing up, which has made most men to live the way are currently living.

He however urged such men to man-up, speak up and change the narrative, instead of bottling up the anger, the hatred and the negative character which was born out of their life experience.

Second speaker: Samuel Joseph

He spoke on how Drug and substance abuse affects mental health.

He said “the use of hard drugs and other substances are a major reason why most men are subjected to suicide. He said such drugs affects their mental health and drain them to the state of being unwanted. He also urged the men to speak up whenever they are in such state.

Third Speaker: Shola Adigun (Founder of Father Figure Initiative)

He spoke on Healing the father wound, understanding the impact of an absent father.

He urged the men to fix the issues fathers face in life. Issues which includes backlash from their father, mother or step-father and step-mother which has gravely affected their life as they advance in life.

He also joined other speakers to urge such men to man-up, speak up and change the narrative, instead of bottling up anger, hatred and negative character.

Fourth Speaker: Mustalpha Adeyemi (President KB Club)

He spoke on Emotional Vulnerability in Men.

He stressed that men should open up, engage with someone, explaining what they are going through. According to him, the men are seen as super humans who hardly show their feelings, which makes the society feel they are less vulnerable.

Mustalpha also said, at least 40 percent of men face series of maltreatments but are shy to speak up due to condemnations or being seen as a weakling.

Fifth Speaker: Barr. Dare Asobele, Founder and coordinator of Anti Suicide prevention squad.

He addressed the men on Toxic Masculinity and Healthy Masculinity.

He encouraged the men not to allow trauma take the best part of them. In his words, he said: “do not bottle your emotions”, Find a safe space to take, get help, do regular exercise, find an enabling environment, seek a therapist, do not allow trauma to define who you are, let go of the past, forgive yourself, forgive your parent or whomever that have caused you trauma, and see how you can become a better man in the society.

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