A 35-year-old zoo worker at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta, Babaji Daule, was tragically killed by a lion.
The incident, reportedly caused by negligence, occurred when Daule, a native of Bauchi State and trained lion handler, failed to secure the locks and barricade the lion’s enclosure before attempting to feed the animal.
Ogun State Police Command spokesperson, Omolola Odutola, confirmed the event in a statement. The Chief Security Officer of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library informed the police that Daule was attacked by the lion on the morning of September 28, 2024, after it escaped its enclosure due to the handler’s oversight. The lion inflicted fatal injuries to Daule’s neck, leading to his death.
Daule’s body was taken to the Ijaye General Hospital mortuary, and the lion was shot to free the handler from its grip.