Police in Ogun State have confirmed that a lion has killed a 35-year-old man in Abeokuta.
The victim’s name is given as Babaji Daule, a native of Bauchi State.
They said this happened on Saturday at the zoo of the Presidential Library of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
The zoo is named the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library Wildlife Park.
It was gathered that the deceased forgot to secure the locks and barricade the lion’s enclosure before approaching the cage to feed it.
The lion escaped and attacked the handler, k!lling him.
The spokesman for the Ogun State Police Command, Omolola Odutola, who confirmed the incident in a statement on Sunday said the wild lion was shot to release its grip on the handler.
“The Area Commander Metro has reported a tragic incident which occurred on the 28th of Sept, 2024 at about 1940hrs, at OOPL zoo that one BABAJI DAULE ‘M’ 35 years a trained handler of a male lion, got killed by the lion,” she wrote.
“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 d@ath.”
“The victim’s body was removed and taken to the mortuary at Ijaye General Hospital while the wild lion was shot to release its grip on the handler.”
