A mother hippopotamus has killed Usman Maigadi, a guard of Muhammad Zayyanu-Abdullahi, emir of Yauri, in Tillo village in the Yauri Local government area (LGA) of Kebbi state.
News About Nigeria reports that the guard at Orchard Farm was attacked on Sunday while fishing in the Yauri River at Tillo village in the state.
The animal was said to have attacked in self-defence, perceiving the deceased as a threat to its young and safeguarding its vulnerable offspring.
“Maigadi has been buried, according to Islamic rites in Yauri, after a funeral prayer,” NAN quoted Alhaji Abubakar Shu’aibu, chairman of Yauri LGA.
Speaking further, Nasir Idris, governor of Kebbi, expressed heartfelt condolences to Yauri Emirate and the deceased’s family in a statement by Ahmed Idris, his spokesperson.
“Idris urged the emirate and members of the deceased family to take heart and accept the will of the Almighty in good faith,” the statement reads.
“The governor prayed to Allah to forgive the deceased’s shortcomings and grant him Jannatul Firdaus.”
In 2015, a notorious hippopotamus disturbing residents of Dadinkowa in the Yamaltu/Deba local government area of Gombe state was killed.
It was reported that apart from terrorising people, the bulky animal had been destroying crops and fishing facilities in the Yamaltu/Deba LGA.
Adamu Pukuma, permanent secretary of the Gombe State Ministry of Environment and Forest Resources, had said hippopotamuses were among the animals that were endangered and going instinct.
On his part, the leader of Fishermen in Dadinkowa, Sa’adu Sarkinruwa, recounted that the hippopotamus had killed about five people in the community.
