A tragic incident occurred in the Imobi area of Ijebu East Local Government Area, Ogun State, where a wandering elephant from a government-reserved forest reportedly trampled a man to death. The victim, identified as Musa Yahaya Kala, was with his son at the time, who narrowly escaped the attack.
While some local residents described Kala as a farmer, others claimed he was a logger who had been felling trees within the forest. The incident reportedly happened on Monday afternoon.
Confirming the incident, Hon. Owode Waliu, the Ogun State House of Assembly member representing Ijebu East, said eyewitnesses claimed the man was resting under a tree on his farmland when he was attacked. However, a source familiar with wildlife activity in the area said the man had entered the Itasin Forest with a chainsaw and encountered a group of elephants.
“Elephants are generally peaceful animals,” the source said. “He was likely logging illegally, which is prohibited in that forest. When elephants encounter humans for the first time, they usually try to assess the threat level. If you don’t pose a threat, they leave you alone. Unfortunately, in this case, the presence of a chainsaw might have startled them.”
The source added that forest elephants primarily feed on the bark of trees, and logging disturbs their habitat.
Ogun State’s Commissioner for Forestry, Taiwo Oludotun, confirmed the fatality on Tuesday, saying: “Yes, the elephants killed one person. We are currently heading to the site to investigate the incident, console the bereaved family, and ensure the area is brought under control.”
This fatal elephant attack came just a day after another wildlife-related tragedy occurred in Adamawa State, where a hippopotamus, displaced by flooding near the Kiri Dam, killed one person in Banjiram, Guyuk Local Government Area.
Guyuk LGA Chairman, Shalom Kassa, confirmed the incident, stating that the hippo had been roaming farmlands and residential areas, destroying crops and threatening human lives.
“The flooding has driven the hippos out of their natural habitat, and now they are endangering both lives and livelihoods,” Kassa said. “These animals have invaded flooded homes and farmlands. Sadly, local communities are powerless to act due to laws that prohibit harming protected wildlife.”
He appealed to the state Ministry of Environment, wildlife officials, and other relevant agencies to urgently intervene to prevent further loss of life.
