A beautiful lion which escaped early Wednesday from a wild life park in Jos, has been killed. The lion was one of the last males remaining in the highly derelict and decrepit wildlife park, which has been severely neglected by past administrations, as the state gabbled with more pressing security challenges.

An official of the Plateau State Ministry of Tourism, in charge of the park, Abdullahi Abe, told journalist that the animal had been shot dead by armed men deployed to hunt and capture it.

He said the body of the lion would be taken to the National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom, Jos south Local Government Area, for further examination, autopsy and preservation.

Contrary to speculations making rounds that the animal harmed a few citizens, Mr. Abe said the lion did not harm anyone, but went into hiding in the park areas.

The police spokesperson, Abuh Emmanuel, said officers had hoped to recover the lion alive, but quickly realised that trapping it alive as a massive undertaking and therefore had to shoot it in the gut.

“We had dispatched our men with experts in search of the lion with the intention to recover the animal alive,” he told ViewPointNigeria.

The escape of the lion caused panic in the town as many residents stayed indoors for fear of being attacked.

Dorcas Gwani, a resident at the federal low cost housing estate near the park, said they were afraid that the animal could have crossed over into the area, as such everyone stay indoors.

The general manager of the park, John Doy, had said the lion, which had been kept since 1972, “slipped through the gate of the cage when it was opened for its routine feeding”.

“The animal is still within the vicinity of the park but our fear is that the park is not fenced,” he had warned.

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Wildlife Park: Lion which escaped this morning killed by marksmen