Tragedy in Ogun: Elephants Kill Father of Five, Community Cries Out

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By Ojo Ayodeji

Residents of Itasin community in Ijebu East Local Government Area of Ogun State have been thrown into mourning after a 49-year-old farmer and father of five, Mr. Musa Yahaya Kala, was killed by wild elephants on Monday, July 28, 2025.

Kala’s 16-year-old son, Korede, who witnessed the attack, narrated how his father was overpowered by two elephants while preparing for work.

“I ran to call for help, but when we came back, we found him with his intestines out and one of his legs broken. He later died before we could move him back to the village,” Korede recounted in tears.

The victim, described variously as a farmer and a logger, becomes the latest casualty in a series of elephant attacks that have plagued the community in recent years.

Community Living in Fear

For nearly seven years, residents of Itasin, a farming and fishing settlement, have lived under the constant threat of elephants.

What began as occasional visits by the animals has now escalated into destructive and deadly encounters.

Villagers say over 100 elephants roam freely, destroying crops, fishing equipment, and property, forcing many farmers and women traders to abandon their livelihoods.

Widow and farmer, Mrs. Oluwaremi Oluwafunke, said she lost more than ₦250,000 worth of crops to elephant raids in 2018.

“What these elephants are doing to our community is unbearable. Farming is our only means of survival, but they don’t allow us to harvest anything,” she lamented.

Another farmer, Mrs. Ajumosu Odunaike, said many women have stopped fetching firewood or processing cassava into garri because of fear of attacks.

Also, Mr. Bello Kunle, a woodcutter, said he has been unable to work actively since surviving an elephant attack in March 2023 and Mr. Kazeem Badmus, a chainsaw operator, revealed he underwent surgery after being attacked by four elephants last year.

Community Leaders, Lawmaker Call for Action

The Adele Oba of Itasin, High Chief Adedoyin Ajayi, appealed to the Ogun State Government to urgently relocate the elephants and provide relief to victims’ families.

“Our people can no longer go about their daily activities. Business has stopped, loans cannot be repaid, and lives are being lost. Government should take these elephants away and also care for the children of the deceased,” he said.

Also, Hon. Owode Ifedolapo, member of the Ogun State House of Assembly representing Ijebu East, urged authorities to implement preventive measures and conservation strategies that protect both humans and elephants.

“Our communities should not live in fear. We need urgent and lasting solutions,” he stressed.

Government Insists Area is Conservation Zone

Reacting to the incident, the Ogun State Commissioner for Forestry, Mr. Oludotun Taiwo, said the attack occurred within a government conservation zone spanning over 6,000 hectares, reserved specifically for elephants.

According to him, residents had been repeatedly warned against illegal farming and logging in the area.

“These elephants are not naturally aggressive; they only defend themselves when provoked. Unfortunately, despite our warnings, people still go into the conservation area for illegal activities like logging,” he explained.

Taiwo, however, sympathised with the bereaved family and assured that government would intensify sensitisation campaigns and strengthen preventive measures to avoid further clashes.

As Itasin community grapples with grief, the tragedy has reignited debates over wildlife conservation, human safety, and rural livelihoods in Ogun State.

While villagers demand protection and compensation, government insists on conservation laws—leaving communities caught between survival and safety.