By Ken Chiwendu
A 35-year-old zoo handler at Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta, Babaji Daule, has been killed by a lion.
Daule,a native of Bauchi State, reportedly left the cage of the lion unlocked and went back to feed it when the wild animal attacked and killed him.
In a statement, the spokesperson of the Ogun State Police Command, Omolola Odutola, said the Chief Security Officer of Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library informed the divisional police officer of the incident.
She said “A deadly incident involving a wild animal attack has been reported by the Area Commander metro. On September 28, 2024, at about 7:40 hrs the Chief Security Officer of Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library informed the divisional police officer that a 35-year-old man named Babaji Daule from Bauchi State, who is a trained handler of a male lion at the Zoological Garden in Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library Abeokuta, tragically lost his life,”
“It was discovered that the lion handler carelessly neglected to secure the locks and barricade the lion’s enclosure before approaching the cage to feed the animal, this negligence allowed the lion to escape and attack the handler, resulting in fatal injuries to the handler’s neck and eventual death.
“The victim’s body was removed and taken to the mortuary at the Ijaye General Hospital, while the wild lion was shot to release its grip on the handler.”
On February 19,2024, a zoo keeper was attacked by a lion at the Obafemi Awolowo University in Nigeria.
The deceased, Olabode Olawuyi was attacked by the animal when he was trying to feed it.
