A tragic incident unfolded at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Saturday, when a 35-year-old zoo worker, Babaji Daule, was fatally attacked by a lion.
According to the police, Daule, originally from Bauchi State, “carelessly neglected to secure the locks and barricade of the lion’s enclosure before approaching the cage to feed the animal,” which allowed the lion to escape and attack him.
The attack resulted in severe injuries to Daule’s neck, and he later succumbed to his wounds. The police were alerted, and the lion was shot to free its grip on the victim. His body was subsequently taken to the mortuary at Ijaye General Hospital.
The Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library is a well-known tourist attraction in Abeokuta, featuring a zoo, museum, resort, and amusement park.
In a statement, Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer SP Omolola Odutola 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 OOPL Abeokuta, tragically lost his life.
“It was discovered that the lion handler carelessly neglected to secure the locks and barricade 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 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”, he added.