Residents of Yauri, a town in Kebbi State, north-western Nigeria, are celebrating after a deadly hippopotamus and her calf were killed by local rice farmers and fishermen following weeks of fear and tension. The hippo had terrorized the community, killing a fisherman working for the town’s traditional leader and injuring another person.
The Kebbi State government, responding to the community’s outcry, authorized the killing of the hippo to protect the residents along the River Niger. The animal was tracked by young men using locally crafted spears known as “zagos.” The carcass was transported by canoe to a high-ranking administrator’s palace, where it was butchered and the meat distributed among the locals.
“This hippo has kept us in fear, stopping many fishermen and farmers from going to work,” said resident Sani Yauri. “We are happy it has been killed, and the community has come out in celebration.”
However, the killing has sparked mixed reactions. While some celebrated the community’s stand against the threat, others expressed concern over the loss of an endangered species. Nigeria’s hippo population has drastically declined, with fewer than 100 believed to remain, mainly in conservation areas.
Isyaku Abdullahi, an animal rights activist and founder of the African Voice for Animals Initiative, criticized the decision to kill the hippo. “The authorities should have been notified so the hippo could be captured and relocated,” he said, calling for better awareness among rural communities on how to handle such situations.
Hippos, though herbivores, are highly aggressive when threatened, responsible for around 500 deaths annually across Africa. Despite their endangered status, the survival of rural communities often clashes with the need to protect wildlife. The incident has raised ongoing questions about the balance between human safety and wildlife conservation.
