- The owner must be apprehended and prosecuted
How did a young lion found at a house on Victoria Island in Lagos get into the megacity? How did the lion get into the country in the first place? The public expects answers to these questions as news of the presence of the wild animal caused quite a stir.
It is believed that the lion was brought to the house about two months ago. A crèche and elementary school are located opposite the house, which means that the lion was a potential threat to children, apart from others in the neighbourhood.
The two-year-old lion had to be tranquilised before its removal in an operation that involved officials of Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture and personnel from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan. The lion’s removal by officials of Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit on November 18 can’t be the end of the story.
It is a cause for concern that the lion owner, who is said to be an Indian, is still at large, according to the head of the task force, Yinka Egbeyemi. “Instead, what he did was to send three Nigerians, who claimed to be his workers. But we are working with them to know where we can find him. Our primary concern now is to remove the lion from the house, which we have done,” he stated.
Egbeyemi was quoted as saying: “The lion was found on No. 229 Muri Okunola Street…The Indian man rented the apartment and lied to the owner of the house that he wanted to be staying there. He claimed that the house was under renovation and brought the animal there. The neighbours saw the thing and that was how we got a petition from them…He will have to tell us why he is rearing a lion in a city; that is a wild animal and anything can happen. So, he may be prosecuted.” Indeed, the lion owner has a lot of explaining to do.
It is commendable that people in the neighbourhood were vigilant and promptly alerted the authorities. It is also commendable that the authorities responded promptly. Egbeyemi urged “every member of the public to be observant in their immediate environment and report any strange or unusual activity to appropriate government agencies for prompt action.” Such cooperation is beneficial to the society.
Investigation showed that the Indian may have brought the lion into the country from Cameroon about two years ago. This calls into question the effectiveness of those who are supposed to monitor animal importation. It also raises questions about their fidelity to import regulations concerning live animals. It may well be that the lion was brought into the country after money had changed hands at the entry point.There is no doubt that the lion posed a danger to the neighbourhood and the larger community. Lions are predators, and some have been known to hunt humans. The hypercarnivore naturally inhabits grasslands and savannas, and has no place among humans.
It is noteworthy that the veterinary authorities advised members of the public not to harbour wild animals in their homes in order to avoid attack and contagious animal diseases.
The lion has been taken to a zoo at Omu Resort, Lekki, Lagos, where it can be better managed without causing fear among the populace. Its presence in a residential building was scary.
However, the authorities must take this issue to its logical conclusion. The lion owner should be apprehended and sanctioned for harbouring a lion in a residential building, and thereby showing a lack of consideration for the safety of others.
‘The authorities must take this issue to its logical conclusion. The lion owner should be apprehended and sanctioned for harbouring a lion in a residential building, and thereby showing a lack of consideration for the safety of others’
