The flood in Borno has left residents and animals displaced.... CLICK TO READ THE FULL NEWS HERE▶▶
Officials from the zoo have confirmed that some wild animals escaped from captivity during the flooding.
Videos that have emerged on social media captured some of the displaced animals in the capital city streets of Maiduguri.
Speaking to the BBC, Ali Donbest who runs the Sanda Kyarimi Zoo said there is a hunt to locate the animals. He confirmed that one ostrich had been found but advised residents to be careful.
“We’ve recaptured the ostrich seen on the street and received a call that a crocodile was found in another location, but we can’t reach it due to the floods,” he said.
Donbest also revealed that the cages where the lions and hyenas were kept had been submerged by floodwaters, but he couldn’t confirm if they had escaped.
The zoo boss explained that the flood had damaged some walls, allowing the animals to roam free. However, not all the creatures seen on the streets may be from the zoo.
“We received a report of a hippo sighting, but we don’t have hippos in the zoo, so the waters may have dispersed animals from other locations as well,” he said.
Maiduguri resident Ishaq Sani told the BBC his biggest fear at the moment is encountering a wild animal. He left his home due to the floods and is now staying with a friend in another location.
So far, there have been no reports of animals attacking humans.
According to the National Emergency Management Agency, more than 170 people have died, and tens of thousands have been forced from their homes across Nigeria, the National Emergency Management Agency has said.
