By Faheem Lawal
Panic, confusion and grief gripped Innayin Community in Oyo State on Thursday after a wild elephant went on a deadly rampage, killing a middle-aged man and leaving another resident missing in a terrifying afternoon attack.
The incident, which occurred around 3:30 p.m., threw the quiet agrarian settlement into chaos as residents scampered for safety on sighting the huge animal suspected to have strayed from a nearby forest.
Eyewitnesses said the elephant stormed farmlands on the outskirts of the community, destroying crops and attacking anyone in its path.
When the dust settled, tragedy had struck.
The lifeless body of 45-year-old Ibrahim Tijani was discovered in a nearby bush, mangled and bearing deep wounds believed to have been inflicted by the wild beast. His remains were later evacuated by emergency responders to the General Hospital, Iwere-Ile.
As fear spread across the community, another alarming report surfaced — a second resident, identified as 50-year-old Alhaji Muhammadu Bingin, had gone missing after reportedly encountering the same elephant.
Search parties comprising police operatives, local hunters and vigilantes have since combed surrounding forests in a desperate bid to locate him — dead or alive.
Residents, still shaken, described the incident as unprecedented, saying they had never witnessed such a deadly invasion by wildlife.
Reacting to the development, the Oyo State Police Command moved swiftly to contain the situation, deploying personnel to secure the area and prevent further casualties.
Police Public Relations Officer, Ayanlade Olayinka, disclosed that the Commissioner of Police, CP Abimbola Ayodeji Olugbenga, has reassured residents that the situation is under control.
“We understand the concerns this incident has generated within the community. Our officers are fully on ground working with relevant stakeholders to secure the area,” the CP stated.
He urged residents to remain calm, avoid affected areas and cooperate with security agencies as efforts intensify to neutralise the threat and restore normalcy.
Community leaders have also called on the state government and wildlife authorities to urgently intervene and prevent a recurrence of such a deadly encounter.
