As Muslim faithful prepare for the Eid-el-Kabir celebration, prices of rams and basic food commodities in various markets across Nigeria have led to widespread lamentation among Nigerians.

The Federal Government has declared Wednesday and Thursday as public holidays to mark the ceremony. Muslim faithful traditionally sacrifice rams during the Eid-el-Kabir Festival, but surveys revealed that the spike in prices has made it more difficult for people to afford it.

Different market surveys conducted in various states of the federation, yesterday, showed that the situation is similar in Ondo, Ekiti, Osun, Edo, Kaduna, and Borno. Other states where traders and customers have bemoaned the high prices include Yobe, Kaduna, Kano, Zamfara, Bayelsa, Kastina, Lagos Oyo and Ilorin.

Apart from price hike of rams, the rising costs of food commodities have also contributed to the financial burden faced by many Nigerians. Sellers are also bemoaning low patronage.

Increased prices and low patronage have created a challenging situation for both buyers and sellers. The price increase has been attributed to factors such as the removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government, high cost of transportation of goods from the hinterland to the cities, among others.