A wandering elephant from one of Ogun State’s government-reserved forests trampled a farmer to death in Imobi, Ijebu East Local Government Area, on Monday, July 28, 2025. The victim, identified as Musa Kalamu, also known as Kala, was attacked while working on his farmland in Itasin-Imobi.
Witnesses say the wild elephant invaded Kalamu’s farm and mauled him severely, leaving visible wounds and causing fatal injuries. Despite being rushed to the hospital, Kalamu was pronounced dead on the way. A video circulating on social media shows the grim aftermath with locals mourning the loss and appealing to the government for urgent intervention.
Residents have expressed ongoing concerns about elephants frequently trespassing into their farmlands and settlements, damaging crops and property, and now fatally attacking a community member. The elephant presence has been a recurring issue over the past four years without adequate response.
Ogun State Commissioner for Forestry, Oludotun Taiwo, confirmed that the ministry is aware of the incident and is mobilizing a response team to address the situation. Ogun State Police Commissioner Lanre Ogunlowo also affirmed that police received the report around 4:20 p.m. on the day of the attack and that officers are working with forestry officials to control the elephants and prevent further harm.
Calm has reportedly returned to the community following the incident, but the tragedy highlights the urgent need for more effective measures to mitigate human-wildlife conflict in the area.
This fatality comes just days after a hippo attack in Adamawa, underscoring wider challenges in managing wildlife interactions with local communities in Nigeria.
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