Residents of Joshua Okeowo and Bepo Communities in Ikotun/Igando suburb of Lagos State have raised the alarm over the continued presence of a ‘mystery crocodile’ in the area.
Some of the residents told the News Agency of Nigeria on Saturday that the reptile had lived in the area for 15 years and had constantly been tormenting them.
“We are tired of this crocodile. It has been around for some time and comes out during the rainy season into the flooded streets to attack us.
“A number of residents had been attacked and seriously wounded by this animal. Only a fortnight ago, it was spotted swimming toward a school boy playing in the flood.
“If not that some adult residents rushed to the scene and rescued the boy, it would have been a different story. Honestly we are tired,” said a resident, Mr. Alabi Rabiu.
Another resident, Babatunde Alabi, said the continued presence of the crocodile in the area had made the residents live in perpetual fear.
According to him, the reptile has chosen a permanent habitat in an uncompleted building in the area, making it difficult for residents to move freely.
Pointing at the abandoned building sitting on a swamp, he said, “That is where it lives, everybody knows but nobody dares go there.
“Some people have made attempts to get rid of it without success. The animal is feared by everyone. We need the government to help us,” he said.
According to Alabi, the crocodile once lived in a nearby canal from where it swam into the community and decided to stay there permanently.
Another resident, Mr. Adeyemi Oke, said once a solution was found to the problem of perennial flooding in the area, the problem posed by the animal would be solved.
He, therefore, urged the Lagos State Government to come to their aid by building new drains in the area, into which the floods could be channelled.
The Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello, who monitored the monthly sanitation exercise in the area on Saturday, said the government was already taking steps to solve the flooding problem.
NAN
See these people,instead of talking how to eliminate the crocodile first,they are talking of different thing.Let them fire the animal with gun.How can the people of dat area be daft for 15yrs?leaving in the fear of an animal.They can't look for the solution of eliminating it,they are waiting till it kills one of them.So,let government help them to kill it,abi?
ReplyDeleteNa only mouth Lagos people get.They are watching ordinary Crocodile for 15yrs.If it's diabolical self,can't they do something?For 15 years!Haba!
ReplyDeleteGovernment, Government, everything is government. don't they have Hunters in their village. See bushmeat and shoe leather dey fear people
ReplyDeleteIs this suppose to be a news?,with all tese hunger and scarcity of meat over there in Niger.let them kill the Crocodile!, or has Nigeria suddenly turn to developed countries where you are not allowed to kill animals anyhow?. only one Crocodile,what of if they are fifty in number?, may be something else is behind the Reptile and people there refused to say out.
ReplyDeletesee wahala o, confirm bush meat wey them no go use moni buy na im them de go find government up and down? Them no serious 4 dat syd o. Hw i wish say na there i de live........i 4 don do party nau.
ReplyDeleteis the flooding the problem or the crocodile? do they want the govt to kill the crocodile or do drains. i can't figure out their demands yet. if drains fine, but to kill it, aba! arrange guns and scatter it, na better meat na!
ReplyDelete