By Citizenship Newspaper
An amphibious animal, a hippopotamus long threatening the residents of Dere, Apataku, Kuchi Kakanda and Ezhi communities in Muye/Egba Ward of Lapai Local Government Area in Niger State has been killed by hunters.
Sources in Minna, the Niger State capital, said that the wild animal living within the River Niger was reportedly injured somewhere and relocated to the said communities over 10 months ago.
It was reliably gathered that the wounded hippopotamus has been terrorizing lives of the people traveling on the river as well as fishermen, and has destroyed rice farms in the area.
This prompted the brave hunters to go after the dangerous hippopotamus which was eventually killed last week Wednesday at Dere, the confluence of River Niger and River Gurara.
Reports said that meat of hippopotamus is not usually sold according to the culture and tradition of the communities, but they are shared among various households around the location where it is killed for food.
This is to prove that a big animal has been killed in the land, just as is done with the elephant meat if it is similarly killed.
A villager, Saidu Umar hinted that the elimination of the wild animal has brought relief to the affected communities and innocent lives that could have fallen victim of its attack especially at nights.
Checks also showed that the Lapai local government council and Emirate Council have been fully briefed about the development and they commended the bravery of the hunters after several months of sustained efforts.
