AN INFLUENCER has been arrested after butchering, cooking and eating a stray dog in a depraved YouTube video stunt.
Ayoub Ben Nesnes, 26, was taken into custody in Martil, Morocco following furious backlash from animal rights campaigners and religious figures across the country.
Ayoub Ben Nesnes has been arrested after posting a video of himself cooking a dog and eating it Credit: Collect
The influencer, 26, maintains that he did not kill the household pet Credit: Collect
The YouTuber, known as Ben Nesnes online, claimed the video was intended as a protest against soaring livestock prices during the Muslim festival of Eid.
Authorities tracked him down to the northern town of Martil on a warrant issued by in Temara, near Rabat.
He has been charged with offences including insulting and animal cruelty, according to local reports.
Prosecutors said Ben Nesnes will remain in El Arjat , on the outskirts of Rabat, while he awaits trial.
Ben Nesnes claims it was a stunt in protest of high food prices during the Muslim festival of Eid
Police tracked the suspect to the northern town of Martil Credit: Collect
More than 200,000 people watched the video before it was removed from .
In the disturbing footage, Ben Nesnes presents the dog as an alternative Eid sacrifice before roasting and eating its meat.
The influencer claimed he could not afford a traditional Eid sacrifice because of the soaring cost of sheep.
He said prices had risen sharply, with some animals costing more than twice ‘s minimum monthly wage of around £260.
Ben Nesnes later released another video in which he insisted the dog had already been killed in a road accident.
He has repeatedly denied killing the animal himself.
The shocking footage prompted three animal welfare groups to file formal complaints against him.
Mohamed Amzian, president of an association that protects stray , accused Ben Nesnes of promoting animal cruelty and encouraging the consumption of dog meat.
The Moroccan Society for the Protection of Animals and Nature said abuse of animals could not be excused as social media entertainment.
Prominent preacher Hamza al-Khalidi also condemned the video.
He said it offended believers and reiterated that dog meat is strictly forbidden under Islamic .
Estimates suggest there are around three million stray dogs in Morocco.
It is not the first time Ben Nesnes has attracted controversy among his 2.2 million followers.
He previously drew attention online by posting videos of himself eating snake and crocodile meat.
The influencer also sparked outrage after ashore on the Spanish-controlled Chafarinas Islands, which Morocco claims sovereignty over.
He later posted footage of the visit despite strict military security measures being in place.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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