An
attendant at the Agodi zoo, Ibadan, Oyo state, Hamzat Oyekunle,
popularly known as Baba Olorunwa has been killed by one of the lions in
the facility.
The development forced the Oyo State Government to shut down the
facility yesterday. It also ordered immediate evacuation of the lions
pending further investigations.
In a statement at the weekend by the Executive Secretary, Bureau of
Investment Promotion (BIP), Mr. Yinka Fatoki, the state expressed shock
over the unfortunate incident.
It
said the closure of the facility followed reports from the company
managing the zoo, AM & C, on the incident. Fatoki, in a statement by
Commissioner of Information, Culture and Tourism, Toye Arulogun,
expressed shock over the incident because Oyekunle had fed the lion for
over five years.
The statement added the deceased was known to have had a very good
relationship with all animals in the zoo. The government also claimed to
have visited the deceased’s family.