A zookeeper at a Nigerian university has been killed by one of the lions he had been looking after for close to a decade.
Olabode Olawuyi, who was in charge of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) zoo, was attacked as he was feeding the lions, the OAU said.
His colleagues were unable to save him as “the wild cat had already caused severe fatalities”, the university added in a statement.
The lion has since been put down.
The zookeeper, a veterinary technologist, had been “taking care of the lions since they were born on campus about nine years ago”.
“But, tragically, the male lion killed the man who had been feeding them,” the OAU said.
Nigerians on social media have been sharing graphic images of the incident at the federal government-owned university in Osun state, in the south-west.
The news of the incident is said to have sent the university community into mourning.
The university sent a team to the family of the deceased to console them.
Its vice-chancellor, Prof Adebayo Simeon Bamire, said he was “saddened” by the incident and ordered a thorough investigation “into the immediate and remote causes of the incident”.
The university students’ union leader, Abbas Akinremi, told Nigeria’s Vanguard newspaper that the attack was caused by “human error” after the zookeeper had forgotten to lock the door after feeding.
He described the incident as unfortunate, while paying tribute to the deceased zookeeper as a “good and humble man, who attended to us nicely whenever we went to the zoo”.
Latest Stories
-
Majority requests recall of Parliament
5 mins -
Kanzlsperger and Professor Quartey support WAFA with medical Donation
5 mins -
Gideon Boako donates 10 industrial sewing machines to Yamfo Technical Institute
23 mins -
‘Golden Boy’ Abdul Karim Razak honored at WAFU-B general assembly
37 mins -
Buipewura Jinapor secures Vice Presidential position in National House of Chiefs with record votes
46 mins -
2024 election: I want results to come out like ‘milk and honey’ – Toobu
47 mins -
Ghana’s Henry Bukari hands over chairmanship of ECOWAS Brown Card Council of Bureaux
53 mins -
Residents of Dome-Kwabenya on edge ahead of December elections
1 hour -
Moffy drops new single ‘Wo’, blending culture and modernity
2 hours -
Don’t bring soldiers to polling stations – Martin Kpebu
2 hours -
Ogyeahohuo Yaw Gyebi II retained as President of National House of Chiefs
2 hours -
Embrace ICT to fit in digital world – Ho NYA boss to youth
3 hours -
We don’t want armed soldiers at polling stations – Tanko-Computer
3 hours -
Drama as police corner armed robbers inside locked forex bureau at Lapaz
3 hours -
NEIP CEO to Kwaku Manu: You can support any political party, but stop misbehaving in NPP colours
3 hours