by Willy Okonji, Lagos:
In a heartbreaking incident, a lion at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta, Ogun State, fatally attacked its handler, 35-year-old Babaji Daule, on Saturday morning.
The tragedy reportedly occurred in the early hours of the day when Daule, a trained handler of the male lion at the library’s Zoological Garden, failed to properly secure the locks and barricades of 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,” an OOPL source revealed. “Despite immediate efforts, the injuries proved fatal.”
The Chief Security Officer of OOPL reported the incident to local authorities at approximately 7:40 a.m., prompting a swift response from emergency teams. The victim’s body was later transported to the Ijaye General Hospital mortuary.
In a statement confirming the incident, Ogun State Police Command spokesperson, Omolola Odutola, said, “A deadly incident involving a wild animal attack has been reported.
On September 28, 2024, the Chief Security Officer of Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library informed the police that a 35-year-old man named Babaji Daule from Bauchi State, who was a trained lion handler at the Zoological Garden in Abeokuta, tragically lost his life.”
She added, “The wild lion was neutralized after the attack to release its grip on the handler.”
This devastating event has cast a shadow over the OOPL, known for its educational and conservation efforts, now grappling with the sorrow of a life lost in such tragic circumstances.
