Metro

Anxiety As Hyena Escapes From Jos Wildlife Park

Published

2 years ago

July 9, 2024

There was anxiety within Dong Community in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State on Monday following the escape of a hyena at the wildlife park.

It was learnt that the hyena escaped from its confinement at the park located in the community on Sunday, thereby causing panic among residents of Dong and the neighbouring state and Federal Low-Cost estates.

The General Manager, Plateau State Tourism Corporation, Chuwang Pwajok, confirmed the development in a voice message sent to our correspondent in Jos on Monday.

Pwajok, who assured residents that efforts were being made to track down the wild animal, said, “I received a report yesterday of a hyena escaping from its enclosure at the Jos Wild Life Park and immediately directed all our staff, especially the park rangers and animal keepers on hand, to take immediate steps to locate the animal.

“The effort has been ongoing since yesterday all through today, and the report reaching me at the Jos Wildife unit has it clearly that the animal, the expectation at least, will not wander off far from its abode because It hasn’t been acclimatised to the surrounding environment and all it knows is the Jos Wildlife Park.

“You know the park is quite a huge span of land and all hands are on the deck in trying to locate the animal and lure it back into its enclosure.

“So, we’re all trying our best to make sure that there’s no harm to people within the park and even the animals. We sent out information to the public, informing them of what has happened.”

The general manager also dismissed insinuations that the hyena had escaped from the park due to hunger and starvation.

He said, “I just want to use this opportunity to address some misconceptions concerning what might have led to the animal’s escape. I would like to plead with the general public to resist the temptation of using social media to send out unverified information.

“There are insinuations in some quarters that it left its enclosure due to hunger, which is far from the truth. If anything, those who visited the park some months back and have equally gone back recently will attest that all our animals are looking healthier than they were before because Governor Caleb Mutfwang has graciously approved an upward review for the animals at the Jos Wildlife Park. The resources for feeding these animals have consistently been released to this corporation.

“One of the major priority areas at the management team of the Plateau Tourism Corporation has remained the Jos Wildlife Park. Though several challenges bedevil the park due to long years of neglect, these challenges are disappearing within the Jos Wildlife Park.

“Some of the cages are old, and we have consistently helped to manage this situation. I am very happy to report that very active measures are in place.

“Very soon, all the cages will be rehabilitated and modernised, and people will see the new Jos Wildlife Park, which will give them a rewarding game-viewing experience. The rumour that the escape is due to hunger is, therefore, far from the truth.”

The PUNCH reports that a lion had in 2015 escaped from its cage from the park and was shot dead by security operatives in their bid to apprehend the wild animal.

However, the lion was replaced by the state government about one year afterward.

Related Topics:Jos Plateau Platuea State

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Metro

How Police Arrested Killers Of Arise TV Anchor, Sommie Maduagwu – Witness Tells Court

Published

21 hours ago

April 21, 2026

Editor

The trial of the eleven accused persons linked to the murder of Arise News journalist and anchor, Somtochukwu Maduagwu, during a robbery at her apartment, continued on Tuesday, with the third prosecution witness giving details of how arrests were made.

An Assistant Superintendent of Police and member of the Scorpion Squad, CID FCT Command, Mr Maxwell Eje, at Tuesday’s proceedings, told the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory that the arrest of the accused persons began with Shamsu Hassan.

He said that the police discovered on September 30 that Hassan had fled to Zaria after the robbery at Unique Apartments in Katampe a day earlier, during which Miss Maduagwu jumped to her death from her three-storey apartment.

ASP Eje informed the court that Shamsu Hassan admitted to the crime and agreed to cooperate with the authorities to disclose the hideouts of others.

Hassan mentioned one Sani Surajo, who was receiving treatment at an unnamed hospital in Gosa, a suburb along the Airport Road in Abuja.

“Surajo was shocked at the sight of the security operatives of the Scorpion Squad at the hospital where he was receiving treatment,” the witness said.

“He too agreed to cooperate and assist with useful information on the whereabouts of others who took part in the robbery.”

The testimony of ASP Maxwell Eje did not get to the point of cross-examination, as Dennis Abu, counsel for the seventh to eleventh defendants, who also held brief for counsel to the first and third defendants, sought leave of the judge, Mohammed Idris, to attend a medical appointment.

This prompted an adjournment until Thursday, April 23, for the conclusion of the evidence-in-chief of the third prosecution witness and for cross-examination.

The prosecutor had earlier informed the court that he had two witnesses available at the start of Tuesday’s proceedings.

The FCT Police Commissioner had filed criminal charges against the 11 defendants bordering on conspiracy, armed robbery, and murder in connection with the September 29, 2025, armed robbery at Unique Apartments in Katampe, Abuja.

It was during the incident that Arise News anchor/journalist Somtochukwu “Sommie” Maduagwu and security guard Barnabas Danlami were killed.

The trial began on February 10, 2026, after earlier delays due to the absence of defendants and other issues.

The first prosecution witness, Sani Yusuf, a civil engineer and former resident of Unique Apartments, and the second, Fatou Toborteh, another former resident, have so far testified about the events of September 29.

Both described masked armed assailants raiding apartments but stated they could not identify any of the 11 defendants, who were masked during the attack.

The defendants are Shamsu Hassan, Sani Surajo, Hassan Isah, Abubakar Alkamu, Abdulsalam Saleh, and Suleiman Badamosi. Others are Zaradeen Mohammed, Musa Umar ‘Aka’ Small, Mashikur Jamil, Suleiman Sani, and Abubakar Usman.

Metro

Again, Truck Crushes Another Dispatch Rider To Death In Lagos

Published

21 hours ago

April 21, 2026

Editor

A dispatch rider has lost his life in a tragic road accident involving a truck at the Otedola Bridge axis in Lagos, occurring less than 24 hours after a similar crash was reported in the same corridor.

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, confirmed the incident in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Adebayo Taofiq.

The fatal crash occurred along the Ogudu–Otedola Toll Gate stretch, inward the Secretariat, where a heavy-duty Volvo truck reportedly struck the motorcycle, killing the rider instantly.

LASTMA officials on routine patrol responded promptly by securing and cordoning off the accident scene to avert further incidents, especially given the high volume of traffic in the area.

Operatives of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, later took custody of the deceased’s remains, while personnel from the Alausa Police Division provided security during the evacuation.

The damaged motorcycle and the truck were subsequently cleared from the road with the aid of a towing vehicle, after which traffic flow was gradually restored.

However, the incident led to significant congestion, with gridlock stretching toward the Berger axis before normal movement resumed.

Reacting, the General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed condolences to the family of the deceased and urged all road users to strictly adhere to traffic regulations.

He emphasised the need for increased caution, particularly among drivers of articulated vehicles and dispatch riders, noting that the agency would continue to collaborate with relevant stakeholders to curb road accidents and fatalities across the state.

“LASTMA remains resolute in its commitment to collaborating with relevant stakeholders in intensifying advocacy initiatives aimed at reducing road fatalities and fostering a sustainable culture of road safety across,” he said.

Metro

NAF Airstrikes Kill Several Terrorists In Sambisa Forest

Published

23 hours ago

April 21, 2026

Editor

The Nigerian Air Force says the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI has executed precision airstrikes within the Yuwe axis of the Sambisa Forest, killing several terrorists on Monday.

The Director, Public Relations and Information, NAF, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, made this known in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.

Ejodame said the military had sustained intense pressure on terrorist elements in the North-East.

He said the operation followed credible intelligence corroborated by Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance, which confirmed the presence of active terrorist elements within fortified structures and bunkers.

According to him, NAF air assets engaged the targets with precision munitions, destroying the structures, neutralising multiple terrorists, and eliminating key logistics facilities, as confirmed by subsequent battle damage assessment.

He said, “The sustained tempo of air operations continues to degrade terrorist networks, leaving the terrorists increasingly exposed and disrupted, with mounting pressure forcing them into desperate and reactive actions.”

He quoted the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, as reaffirming the NAF’s resolve to sustain relentless, intelligence-driven air operations until terrorist elements were completely neutralised.

“We remain committed to the protection of our personnel, the security of our nation, and the safety of all citizens.

“The NAF will continue to intensify precision engagements across the theatre, maintaining decisive operational pressure while adhering strictly to rules of engagement and minimising civilian harm,” Aneke said.
(NAN)