The Ogun State Police Command has confirmed the tragic death of a 35-year-old zoo worker, Babaji Daule, who was fatally attacked by a lion at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) zoo in Abeokuta on Saturday, September 28.
In a statement issued by the state police spokesperson, Omolola Odutola, on Sunday, September 29, it was revealed that Daule, a native of Bauchi State and a trained lion handler, had failed to secure the locks and properly barricade the lion’s enclosure before attempting to feed the animal.
This error allowed the lion to escape, leading to a fatal attack that left Daule with severe neck injuries, ultimately causing his death.
Zoo personnel were forced to shoot the lion in order to free Daule from its grip.
His body was subsequently taken to the mortuary at Ijaye General Hospital.
Odutola confirmed the incident in a statement, saying, “A deadly incident involving a wild animal attack was reported on September 28, 2024, at 7:40 a.m. by the Chief Security Officer of OOPL.
A 35-year-old man named Babaji Daule, a trained lion handler at the zoo, tragically lost his life after failing to secure the lion’s enclosure.”
The management of the park also released a statement explaining that the incident occurred outside regular feeding hours when visitors had requested to see the lion being fed.
Daule, confident in his handling of the animal, left the safety gate open, which led to the attack.
“To prevent further mutilation of the body, the lion was immediately put down by zoo personnel,” the management said, noting that the event happened outside the zoo’s standard operational hours.
Investigations are ongoing, with the police involved for further action.
