A 35-year-old zoo worker, Babaji Daule, has tragically lost his life after being mauled by a lion at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library Wildlife Park in Abeokuta, Ogun State, following an alleged act of negligence.
The incident, which occurred on September 28, 2024, was confirmed by the Ogun State Police Command in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Omolola Odutola.
According to the statement, Daule, a native of Bauchi State and a trained handler of the male lion at the library’s zoological garden, failed to properly secure the animal’s enclosure before attempting to feed it.
This error allowed the lion to escape and attack him.
“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, tragically lost his life,” Odutola said in the statement.
“It was discovered that the lion handler carelessly neglected to secure the locks and barricade 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 the Ijaye General Hospital, while the wild lion was shot to release its grip on the handler.”
