Lion Serving As Indian's Night Guard Evacuated In Lagos

Officials of the Lagos State Task Force, in conjunction veterinary doctors from the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture, have succeeded in moving the lion found at a private home around Victoria Island to a zoo in Omu Resorts, Lekki. There had been palpable fear at No. 229, Muri Okunola Street,Victoria Island area following discovery of the two-year-old big cat in one of the apartments by some residents.

It was gathered that an Indian, whose identity has not been ascertained as at the time of filing this report, owns the lion. He was said to have told the property owner that he wanted to rent the apartment for his own use but did not live there. Instead, he rented it for the lion.

Dissatisfied with cohabiting with a lion, it was learnt that residents of the building subsequently petitioned the Commissioner for the Environment Mr Tunji Bello on the development, calling for the immediate evacuation of the wild animal for their safety.


Speaking on the evacuation of the lion, Taskforce Chairman, CSP Olayinka Egbeyemi confirmed that the exercise was carried out in conjunction with officials of the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture and medical personnel from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan.
Speaking further, Egbeyemi said that Dr. Ogunmo Bamidele, who led the medical team from the University of Ibadan, had to tranquilize the lion thrice before evacuation.