Lions, hyenas, elephants stray into Borno deserted villages

 

Lions, hyenas, elephants stray into Borno deserted villages

Lions, elephants, hyenas are straying into villages long abandoned by Borno people as a result of the Boko Haram war.

The Director of Forestry and Wildlife, Ministry of Environment, Borno State, Mr Peter Ayuba, said the animals found in Konduga and other LGAs may have strayed from Waza Game Reserve in Cameroon.

Ayuba confirmed the killing of a lion by hunters in Konduga.

“We have similar incidents of elephants from the game reserve entering villages in Kala-Balge Local Government Area.

“There is also an incident of some hyenas killing a man in the bush in Kaga Local Government Area.

“Absence of human activities in some rural communities for several years has transformed many farmlands to thick forest,” Ayuba said.

He explained that the several years of absence of human beings made the animals in reserves to start wandering into the villages.

He added that the villages hitherto had been without humans until now that people were returning to base with the gradual return of peace.

Ayuba urged resettled communities to be careful and vigilant, pointing out that the lion killed on Sunday could have other pride members lurking.

Also speaking on the incident, the Information Officer of the Local Government, Mallam Asheikh Chabbol, said the lion chased some irrigation farmers in Malari village who had to invite hunters to engage it.

“Hunters engaged the lion, which injured two of them before it was killed.

“The injured hunters are receiving treatment while the carcass of the lion was taken to the Ministry of Environment,” Chabbol said.