Lion Kills Zoo Handler at Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library Wildlife Park

A tragic incident occurred at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) Wildlife Park in Abeokuta, Ogun State, where a 35-year-old zoo staff member was attacked and killed by a lion.

The victim, Babaji Daule, a trained lion handler from Bauchi State, was reportedly feeding the lion on Saturday, September 28, 2024, when the incident took place. According to reports, Daule approached the lion’s cage without first securing the locks and blocking the entrance.

As a result, the lion escaped and attacked him, causing fatal injuries. The lion inflicted severe wounds on Daule’s neck, leading to his death.

The spokesperson for the Ogun State Police Command, Omolola Odutola, confirmed the event in a statement released on Sunday. According to Odutola, "The Area Commander Metro has reported a tragic incident which occurred on the 28th of September 2024 at about 1940hrs at OOPL zoo, where one Babaji Daule, a 35-year-old trained handler of a male lion, was killed by the lion."

Odutola explained that the handler’s failure to properly secure the enclosure allowed the lion to break free and attack him. The police were forced to shoot the wild lion in order to free the handler from its grip.

The victim’s body has since been transported to the Ijaye General Hospital mortuary.