September 29, (THEWILL) – A lion at the Zoological Garden of Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta, Ogun State, has killed its handler, Babaji Daule.
The victim, a 35-year-old from Bauchi State, was killed on Saturday when the wild animal escaped from the zoo.
Spokesperson of the Ogun State Police Command, SP Omolola Odutola, confirmed the incident in a statement on Sunday.
The statement reads: “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 OOPL, 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 Ijaye General Hospital, while the wild lion was shot to release its grip on the handler.”
