Town in Nigeria celebrates killing of 'killer hippo'

Residents of a town in north-western Nigeria are celebrating after a rare but dangerous hippo, along with its calf, was killed by rice farmers and fishermen following a weeks-long hunt. In Yauri, Kebbi state, fear had gripped the community after the hippo killed a fisherman employed by a local traditional leader. The Kebbi state government ordered the hippo's killing to protect the residents living along the River Niger.

Nigeria’s hippo population has declined significantly, with estimates suggesting only about 100 remaining, mostly in conservation areas. The hippo in Yauri was hunted down by young men using locally made spears called “zagos.” After it was killed, its carcass was taken by canoe to the palace of one of the Emir of Yauri’s high-ranking officials, where it was butchered and the meat distributed among the local community.

"We are a town of fishermen and farmers, and many had stopped going out due to fear of an attack," resident Sani Yauri told the BBC. He explained that in addition to killing a member of the emir’s staff, the hippo had injured another person and regularly damaged farmlands. With the animal dead, residents celebrated and received portions of its meat.

Isa Jamilu, another resident, expressed relief at finally being able to return to his farm, which he had abandoned weeks earlier due to fear of the hippo. Photos of the dead animal shared on social media have sparked mixed reactions. While some praised the community for protecting themselves, others raised concerns about the welfare of the endangered species.

Animal rights activist Isyaku Abdullahi, founder of Nigeria's African Voice for Animals Initiative, expressed sadness over the killing. He argued that the community should have alerted authorities to capture and relocate the hippo instead. Abdullahi emphasized the need for rural communities, particularly in areas like Kebbi with rivers and lakes, to be educated on alternative ways to deal with dangerous wildlife.

The common hippopotamus, listed as a threatened species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), is the third-largest land mammal. Despite being herbivores, hippos are highly aggressive when threatened, and they kill around 500 people annually in Africa.

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