BY IBRAHIM SALISU, KANO – Less than 24 hours after the ancient city of Kano was awash with news of a lion escaping from its Zoo, Managing Director of Kano Zoological Garden, Alhaji Usman Gwadabe, said a team of experts has successfully re-captured the fleeing beast.
This heartwarming news came following Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje shoot-on-sight order to kill the 15-year-old lion if it poses threats to human lives or attempts to cause havoc in the State.
The governor had issued the order following information that moves by experts to rein in the fleeing Lion it failed.
The Lion’s escape from the Zoo at about 9.00 pm on Saturday night had forced residents of the area into panic mode.
Amidst palpable fears across the city, many of the Kano inhabitants choose to remain indoors as they dreaded the prospects of running into the raging lion whose whereabouts was as at then unknown by officials.
According to reports, by Sunday morning, the ever-busy zoo and its environs were deserted as shops, filling stations and business houses, including the popular Ado Bayero Shopping Mall, were under lock and key.
The reports quoted Alhaji Gwadabe as confirming that the lion was later captured around the city centre and surprisingly did not put up any resistance as the team of rangers easily brought it under control.
Urging residents to go about their normal business activities without any fear, Alhaji Gwadabe said the lion, having been taken back to its cage, is fully responding to normal routine before the ugly incident
Gwarzo explained that the rampaging lion was eventually lured back to its cage through the roar of an older lion in the Zoo
Reports indicated that despite being shot with two tranquilizer rifles by the experts, the Lion remained active as it caused anxiety and uproar among residents of Kano
It was however gathered that the Kano Zoological Garden authorities had solicited assistance of experts from Abuja after failing in their initial efforts to bring the Lion under control.
