A man has reportedly been killed by a lion in a Nigerian zoo.
Police confirmed the 35-year-old zookeeper was killed in an enclosure at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library’s wildlife park, according to Nigerian news outlet the Premium Times.
In a police statement quoted by the outlet, authorities said the man, Babji Daule, was the trained handler of a male lion at the presidential library’s Zoological Garden.
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“It was discovered that the lion handler carelessly neglected to secure the locks and barricade the of lion’s enclosure before approaching the cage to feed the animal,” police said.
“This negligence allowed the lion to escape and attack the handler, resulting in fatal injuries to the handler’s neck and eventual death.”
The incident took place on September 28.
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The OOPL Wildlife Park also issued a statement saying the man was demonstrating the feeding process to guests after closing time.
“The zookeeper, apparently, feeling comfortable with the animal, left the safety protection gate open and proceeded to feed the animal. He was mauled by the animal and died on the spot,” the statement said.
The lion was destroyed.
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