OAU Zookeeper who was attacked and killed by a 9-year-old Lion was trying to rescue a woman from same Lion attack, new revelation unfolds.
Recall a 9-year-old Lion attacked OAU zookeeper at the Obafemi Awolowo University Zoological Park in Ile-Ife, Osun State, as he was trying to rescue a woman who had been attacked by the animal earlier. The lion mauled the veterinarian.
On Tuesday, February 20, Mr Wole Odewumi, the Chairman of the OAU branch of the National Association of Non-Academic Staff of Universities, made this revelation.
He continued by saying that OAU authorities had closed the zoological park on campus as a result of the Monday, February 19, killing of Mr Olabode Olawuyi by a 9-year-old lion.
“I asked some of his coworkers about what had transpired, and they updated me. The lion first preyed upon a female. The woman works at the zoo as a staff member, Odewumi said to Punch.
“The woman was saved from the lion by the deceased’s intervention. He must have thought the lion would identify him. It must have enraged the animal that he intervened to release the woman. The lion turned from the woman to take a direct swipe at him.
“They whisked him to the campus health clinic as soon as they removed him from the lion’s hold. But before he arrived, he passed away. However, the woman who was the second victim of the attack is still being treated while being admitted.
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According to Odewumi, Olawuyi’s family met with the university administration on Tuesday while a mourning parade was staged on campus in his honour.
“Members of the management addressed us following that sober event, and we held a mourning procession in honour of the deceased this morning,” he stated.
Every campus union took part in the march.
The management committed to doing what was required. A committee will be formed to address the concerns, and his union will be represented. I have been to the location. There is a lock on the zoo. It’s formally secured.
The management will not permit anyone to visit there at this time. We gave the surviving family members of the dead to the management while they were present.
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Staff members who were at the scene of the incident tried everything they could to save the deceased but were unable to do so because the animal held and mauled him, according to a statement released by the university’s management on Monday and signed by Abiodun Olanrewaju, the public relations officer.
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