By Ibrahim Yakubu
The rise in the demand for frogs in markets across northern Nigeria has encouraged a large number of youths in Kaduna to embark on the frog and other aquatics’ businesses.
DAILY NIGERIAN gathered that many youths have abandoned their little businesses they do for survival and embraced catching frogs for sale due to the high demand for the meat.
The youths, between the ages of 26 to 34, are now called frog grabbers and they are rising in number.
Felix Peter, one of the youth leaders of Unguwan Gwari community in Kaduna North, said he started going to rivers and ponds to catch frogs and other aquatics 3 years ago.
“I was a mechanic before I abandoned the business and joined frog grabbing.
“There are no jobs available in the labour market. Now, I enjoy the business because there is a high demand for it all over the 19 northern states, including Abuja, the capital city of Nigeria.
“It was difficult to start the business at first, but everything is really going smoothly now,” Mr Peter stated.
“After catching them from various places, we dissect and roast them. We later package them inside cartoons and bags for customers that come from various states.
“We sell a frog at the price of N100, and three for N200.
“It wasn’t easy at first but now my family and I enjoy the fruits of this labour,” he added.
Mr Peter revealed that he makes about 5,000 naira per day.
He said: “I pay my children’s school fees and takes care of all my needs with this business.”
He, however, expressed dissatisfaction at how insecurity is affecting them.
Mr Peter, therefore, called on the state government to provide all the needed security in the bushes and its environs.
Abubakar shelang, another young man in the frog-grabbing business, said he was into other businesses before, but had to abandon them and embrace this one.
“The frog market is moving and I get more money than in his former businesses.
“I was a bricklayer and I also repair bread-mixing machine, but the businesses were not moving, that was why I joined this one,” Mr Abubakar said.
“We take our roasted frogs to many places across the entire north, because the demand for the meat is high and we are making money every day through this business.
“Every day I go to the frog-grabbing, I make good money that takes care of all my needs,” Mr Abubakar said.
Mr Abubakar, therefore, called on youths to shun idleness, embrace skills acquisition and other creative works, to reduce dependency on their parents and guardians.
He also appealed to the government to help them with modern equipment for the business, “in order to overcome the challenges faced.”
Speaking with one of the frog dealers, Mercy John, said she buys the frogs from the youths and transport them to many places across the entire North.
She said: “The business has helped me become what I am today.
“I have houses and many cars and even acquired a big land in Abuja.”
She called on the government to support the youth with some capital so they could start making frog ponds just as in the case of a fishery.
According to her, this will reduce the rate of crimes the youths engage themselves in when going to rivers to catch frogs.
