Communities in Guyuk and Shelleng Local Government Areas of Adamawa State, located in the Southern Senatorial District, are currently facing serious threats from rampaging hippopotamuses.
The animals, displaced by widespread flooding, have invaded farmlands, homes and riverside settlements, leading to human casualties and growing fear among residents.
Shalom Kassa, Chairman of Guyuk Local Government, confirmed the death of a young man in Banjiram, a community in the area, after a violent encounter with a hippopotamus.
According to Kassa, several hippos have been sighted in residential areas and on rivers, posing a danger to both humans and livestock.
In response to the escalating crisis, Chairman Kassa and his counterpart from Shelleng LGA, Abubakar Abba, joined by traditional rulers including the Kwandi Nunguraya, Kuruhaye Dishon Dansanda of Guyuk, and the Amna Shelleng, Abdullahi Isa Dasong, to visit the Adamawa State Government.
Though Governor Ahmadu Fintiri was away on official duty, they were received by the Secretary to the State Government, who assured them of Government’s attention to the issue.
Kassa explained that the flooding across Adamawa, particularly in Guyuk and Shelleng, had forced hippopotami out of their natural habitats.
“In some cases, the animals have been found in flooded homes and destroyed farmlands”, he noted.
He stressed that residents are unable to defend themselves due to legal prohibitions against harming wildlife.
“The situation is dire. We are calling on the State Ministry of Environment, wildlife officials, and other relevant agencies to urgently intervene. People are afraid, and the risk to human lives is real,” Kassa said.
He also extended condolences to the victims of the recent flood disaster in Yola town, where five people lost their lives and 55 others were hospitalised.
The Kiri Dam in Shelleng Local Government Area, known to host over 200 hippopotamuses, is believed to be the primary source of the animals.
The release of water from the dam, combined with heavy rainfall, has likely displaced the hippos, forcing them into populated areas and resulting in dangerous human-wildlife conflicts.
Local authorities continue to urge swift intervention to prevent further loss of life and destruction.
