Tragedy struck Itasin community in Ijebu East LGA, Ogun State, when 49-year-old Musa Yahaya Kala was gruesomely killed by elephants on July 28, 2025.
His 16-year-old son, Korede, who witnessed the incident, recalled:
“I heard the noise of my father and the elephant. By the time we got back, his intestines were out, one of his legs broken, with bruises and cuts everywhere.”
Korede said two elephants had charged at them in the forest. While he managed to hide, his father was overpowered. By the time villagers carried him back, he had already died.
A Community Under Siege
Itasin, a farming and fishing community, has lived in fear of elephants since they appeared about seven years ago. Once roaming peacefully, they now destroy crops, fishing gear, and homes. The herd, estimated at about 100, has left residents struggling with hunger, poverty, and insecurity on top of years of bad roads, poor water supply, and lack of electricity.
In 2018, widow Oluwaremi Oluwafunke lost over ₦250,000 worth of crops to elephant destruction just a day after planting. She lamented:
“This is our only means of survival, but they keep ruining everything we plant.”
Palm kernel farmer Ajumosu Odunaike added that even gathering firewood or processing cassava had become dangerous as elephants chase them away.
Survivors Speak
Some villagers carry scars from past encounters.
Bello Kunle, a farmer, was mauled in 2023 and now struggles to work:
“I didn’t attack it. It came for me. Since then, I cannot work actively like before.”
Kazeem Badmus, a chainsaw operator, was attacked by four elephants in 2024, survived surgeries, and was bedridden for almost a year.
Community Leaders and Lawmakers Plead
The Adele Oba of the community, High Chief Adedoyin Ajayi, begged the state government to relocate the elephants:
“If they can be moved into a zoo, no problem. Just take them away so our people can live again.”
He also appealed for support for the late Kala’s family.
Similarly, Assembly member Owode Ifedolapo urged urgent government intervention, calling for conservation plans that balance human safety with wildlife protection.
Government’s Stand
However, Ogun Commissioner for Forestry, Oludotun Taiwo, insisted the area is a designated conservation zone, not farmland.
He stressed that many residents were carrying out illegal logging and farming despite repeated warnings, demolitions, and signposts:
“These elephants are not naturally aggressive. They only fight back when provoked.”
Taiwo expressed sympathy for the bereaved family but urged compliance with forest reserve rules to avoid future tragedies.
