A tragic incident occurred on Monday, July 28, in the Itasin-Imobi area of Ijebu East Local Government Area, Ogun State, when a wandering elephant from a nearby government-reserved forest fatally attacked a farmer identified as Musa Kalamu.
According to eyewitnesses and local sources, the elephant had strayed from its natural habitat and invaded Kalamu’s farmland. The animal reportedly charged at him in a brutal and unprovoked attack, inflicting fatal injuries that led to his death while being rushed to the hospital.
Residents of the Itasin-Imobi community have expressed deep concern, noting that this is not the first time the elephant has posed a threat to lives and livelihoods in the area. Eyewitnesses claim the animal has been terrorizing the community intermittently for over four years without any concrete government intervention.
A disturbing video that surfaced online on Tuesday further fueled public outrage. The video, which quickly went viral, shows the lifeless body of the middle-aged farmer, known locally as “Kala,” with severe injuries and his intestines visibly protruding from his abdomen. In the background, distressed voices of locals could be heard pleading for urgent government action.
“This is Kala, he was attacked by the elephants at Onitasin. You can see the marks of the attack all over his body, with some parts of his intestine outside,” one of them narrated emotionally. Another added, “The government should please come to our aid. The problem with these elephants is too much in our community.”
Confirming the incident to journalists, Ogun State Commissioner for Forestry, Taiwo Oludotun, stated, “Yes, we are aware of the situation, and we are already on our way to the community to assess and address the issue.”
The state’s Commissioner of Police, CP Lanre Ogunlowo, also confirmed the tragic event. According to him, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Ogbere received a distress call from Itasin community at approximately 4:20 PM on July 28, reporting that an elephant had escaped from the government reserve and attacked a local farmer, Musa Kalamu, who sadly died en route to the hospital.
CP Ogunlowo added that officers of the Ogun State Forestry Department have been contacted and dispatched to contain the wandering animals and prevent further casualties or destruction.
Following the tragedy, calm has reportedly returned to the community, but residents remain fearful and agitated, calling for lasting measures to ensure their safety from further wildlife incursions.
The incident has once again highlighted the growing tension between wildlife conservation efforts and the safety of rural communities living near government forest reserves in Nigeria.