A herd of stray elephants from one of the government reserved forests has attacked and killed a farmer identified as Musa Kalamu at Onitasin Imobi in Ijebu East Local Council of Ogun State.

In a gory video that surfaced yesterday, the lifeless body of the middle-aged man was seen with his intestines all out.

The locals in the video were heard shouting and urging the state government to come to their aid, saying, “The problem with these elephants is too much in our community.”

Confirming the tragic incident, the Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo, stated that the command was alerted by residents of the Itasin community at 4:20 pm on Monday.

Ogunlowo stated that the victim died on the way to the hospital.

He said, “The Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Ogbere, received information from Itasin on Monday about 4.20pm that elephants escaped from Government Reserve and attacked one Musa Kalamu who died on the way to the hospital.

“Officers of Ogun State Forestry were contacted to curtail the animals from further damage and calm has returned to the community.”

Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Forestry, Taiwo Oludotun, confirmed the incident, adding that officials of the agency were on their way to the community.

Oludotun said, “Yes, we are aware, and we are already on our way to the community.”

The member representing Ijebu East Constituency in the House of Assembly, Owode Ifedolapo, has sympathised with the family of Kalamu, a 49-year-old farmer, described as a logger within the elephant’s domain.

Describing the incident as deeply unfortunate and shocking, the lawmaker prayed for strength and peace for the grieving family and offered his sincere sympathies, urging members of the community to remain calm, acknowledging the fear and anger that such tragedy could cause.

“While we understand the pain and confusion this incident has caused, we urge our people to remain calm. The government is being engaged to take swift and lasting action,” he said.
He urged the state government, as well as relevant wildlife and environmental agencies to take immediate steps to investigate the cause of the incident and implement preventive measures to forestall recurrence.

Ifedolapo stressed that the community could not live in fear of wildlife attacks and called for the urgent implementation of a conservation development plan to regulate human-wildlife boundaries, secure life and property, and maintain ecological balance.

“This tragedy highlights the urgent need for coordinated efforts between conservation agencies, local authorities and the state government. Our communities should not live in fear of wildlife attacks. We must strike a balance between conservation and safety,” he added.

He reiterated his dedication to collaborating with all parties involved to guarantee the implementation of efficient remedies and prevent recurrence, promising that the matter would be discussed on the floor of the House as part of efforts to find a lasting solutions to the incident.