Wild animals invade communities in S’south state

There are palpable fears in Ekuri, an agrarian community in Akampa Local Government Area of Cross River State as wild animals are said to be roaming the area.

News Diggers gathered that the ugly development is following the violation of the natural state of the forest reserve by illegal loggers.

the natives said  the noise of the chainsaw used by the loggers has been scaring  the wild animals  out their habit and forcing them to seek refuge in the community.

A resident who gave her name simply as Mary recalled how her relation escaped being killed by a wild animal, saying: “There is also a buffalo that is roaming the community. It  attacked one of my cousins.  The noise from the engine used by the illegal loggers is scaring the animals out of their natural habitats. They are now looking for another place to hide.”

 Also recalling her experience, another native, Jerome Esther said: “One day I was coming back from Akamkpa and I saw two guys running, leaving their bikes.  They said they encountered two elephants in the forest and ran  for their dear lives.  Each time those wild animals hear the sound of the engine used for cutting timber, they will feel threatened and run out of their natural habitats.  They are now coming close to our dwelling and that is not safe for us.”

Another woman, Agatha Egot said the incident of elephants roaming about happened two weeks ago around a  community known as Okukuri. “Those things we see are as a result of the human activities going on in the forest.  The animals themselves are no longer safe.

“Their habitat has been destroyed. And they are now running to where they can be safe. They are running to the community. We too are running away from them. Wild animals are very dangerous. Elephant is a very dangerous animal that can kill if you mistakenly run into it. So it becomes a threat to us.”