http://allafrica.com/stories/201202210186.html


Nigeria: Wild Lion Kills Two Men, 30 Livestock in Yobe
By Hamisu Kabir Matazu, 21 February 2012

Damaturu — A wild lion went on rampage yesterday killing men and over 30 livestock near a forest between Gulani and Gujba local government areas of Yobe State.

Yobe State Commissioner for Environment, Dr Ahmed Wakil Sarki, confirmed the attack adding that a team from the Wildlife Department in the Ministry will hunt for the lion tomorrow (today) morning.

"Yes, the lion killed 2 people and over thirty livestock. But we are making effort catch the animal alive or hunt him down by tomorrow morning to avert further destruction," he said

Wakil said that necessary procedure would be taken to see that wild life rules are not violated while bringing the lion under control.

"Our guns have been submitted to the SSS due to the security challenges in Yobe. But we wrote them requesting for the release of all our equipment to enable us carry out the operation by tomorrow," he added.

Wakil added that the lion was also said to have killed some animals few kilometres away from Damaturu, the Yobe state capital.

He said a similar incident happened four years ago when some elephants went on rampage in the state.

Babayo Maikiyo of Mahadiyya Village of Gujba local government told Daily Trust that a group of 15 hunters led by their chief, Baushe Balleri, went in search for the lion last night but did not succeed.

A wild life expert told Daily Trust that the lion normally operates within the radius of 40 kilometers per hour and said it could now be within the forest of Damaturu, just 30 kilometres away from Gujba town.

"We advise government to do something urgent before it gets out of control, because something most have provoked this lion to start this destructions," he said.