One person has been confirmed dead, and several others remain at risk following an incursion of hippopotamuses into communities in Guyuk and Shelleng Local Government Areas of Adamawa State, local officials said Monday.
Mr. Shalom Kassa, Chairman of Guyuk Local Government, told journalists in Banjiram that a young man was reportedly killed by one of the animals, which had strayed from its natural habitat due to flooding around the Kiri Dam in Shelleng.
“This is a serious threat to human lives and means of livelihood. The animals are destroying farmlands, invading flooded homes, and endangering residents and livestock,” Kassa said.
He explained that persistent flooding across several parts of the state had displaced the animals, pushing them into residential areas, riverbanks, and farmlands—causing widespread panic.
In response, Kassa, alongside Shelleng Local Government Chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Abba, and traditional leaders including the Kwandi Nunguraya of Guyuk, Kuruhaye, visited the Adamawa State Government in Yola to seek urgent assistance.
Kassa noted that while the threat is escalating, residents are legally prohibited from defending themselves, as state laws ban the killing or harming of protected wildlife such as hippopotamuses.
“We are appealing to the State Ministry of Environment, wildlife officials, and relevant agencies to intervene urgently before more lives are lost,” he urged.
Kassa also expressed sympathy for the victims of recent flooding in Yola, where five people reportedly died and 55 others were hospitalised.
Responding to the delegation, Mr. Awwal Tukur, Secretary to the State Government, assured them that the Adamawa State Government would take immediate steps to address the situation.
