Africa-Press – Nigeria. The Ogun State Government has commiserated with the family of Musa Yahaya Kalamu, who was killed by an elephant in Itasin, a community in Ijebu East Local Government Area of Ogun State.
Kalamu, aged 49, who was with his son when the incident occurred, died, while his son was lucky to escape.
In a video made available to our correspondent on Tuesday, Kalamu’s lifeless body was seen with his intestines exposed.
The development, however, triggered outrage in the community, where human-animal conflicts have been recorded several times.
The Ogun State Commissioner for Forestry, Oludotun Taiwo, speaking to journalists at his office, called for calm among residents and sympathised with the entire community.
Taiwo clarified that the area in question was a conservation zone and not farmland.
He disclosed that despite several warnings, sensitisation campaigns and even the demolition of illegal settlements, people kept returning there.
Taiwo said: “It’s a very sad incident. The place in question is a designated conservation area meant strictly for wildlife, especially elephants.
“Unfortunately, some people still go in there for illegal activities like logging. The man that died was reportedly trying to move illegal logs when the elephant attacked him.
“We’ve done a lot of sensitisation in that area. We’ve erected signboards, built barriers, and even demolished illegal settlements, but people keep going back. These elephants are not aggressive by nature. They only fight back when provoked. That’s why we keep educating the public not to confront them.”
He noted that on visiting the community, residents were hostile and did not receive them, but he promised to return the next day.
“This forest spans over 6,000 hectares. It’s not a farm settlement, and we don’t expect people to reside there. But due to human encroachment, conflicts like this sometimes happen.
“We sympathise with the family, and despite the hostility we met initially, we’ll still go back to condole with them and keep sensitizing the community,” he said.
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