Nigeria's environment ministry has launched an investigation after a video emerged of an endangered manatee, also known as a sea cow, being dragged along a dusty road by a group of young men.

It is not clear when the footage was filmed.

The animal has been tied in ropes and can be seen trying to get away.

Deputy environment minister Sharon Ikeazor branded the video "very distressing", and said officials were trying to rescue the creature.

Ms Ikeazor said the incident took place in the oil-rich Niger Delta region, and called for an awareness campaign "to educate our people to protect the manatee".

Manatees are large marine mammals which are mostly herbivorous.

It is illegal to hunt them in Nigeria, but they are still killed for their meat, oil, and organs which are used in traditional medicine, AFP news agency reports.

Many people in the Niger Delta are poor, despite the region's oil wealth.

Pressure group the Blue Planet Society, which campaigns to preserve ocean life, said it was shocking that a "supposedly protected West African manatee can be abused in such a public way".

There are about 10,000 manatees along the coast of West Africa, AFP reports, but their numbers are in steep decline.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/world-africa-51619623


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bI8gcKoq5C4

savages will always be to them it's An achievement

A lot of illiterate idiots less than savages inhabit the space called Nigeria.

They are only interested in kill! Eat! Kill Eat!

No innovation, no creativity, just empty skulls. I still suspect that cannibals still exist in Nigeria.

At least kill the poor beast or transport it in water...this is too bad. Just too bad. Nigerians have been brought so low..

Trump wont lift the travel ban

Didn't know I will feel for an animal like this....it's was just too cruel!

Useless country
Useless citizens
Useless government

Let me tell you guys a story... In a sane country.. A rat stuck on a grate was rescued by the towns fire fighters... I mean the life of a mere rat meant so much that they used state resources to save it

SMH. .Nigeria is a glorified disease

ZombieHUNT:
Useless country
Useless citizens
Useless government

Let me tell you guys a story... In a sane country.. A rat stuck on a grate was rescued by the towns fire fighters... I mean the life of a mere rat meant so much that they used state resources to save it

SMH. .Nigeria is a glorified disease

if possible I will even use grenade launcher on the rat. I hate this animal so much since I was a kid I remember driving nail through the skull of a rat caught in rat gum and it started bleeding from the nose and mouth and eyes and ears. I also burnt out the eyes of another one with matches.

Just last week I saw a weakened rat outside my house I buried it alive.

Godsfavour78:
if possible I will even use grenade launcher on the rat. I hate this animal so much since I was a kid I remember driving nail through the skull of a rat caught in rat gum and it started bleeding from the nose and mouth and eyes and ears. I also burnt out the eyes of another one with matches.

Just last week I saw a weakened rat outside my house I buried it alive.

hm no be so oyibo dey take recognise serial killers. Every animal deserves a quick death if it must die..im not judging you though i did such as a child but as adults we must do the right thing by being humane..In Nigeria we sometimes are not even human talk less of humane

This is heartbreaking for those of us who watch Natgeo wild...
I wish I can save that animal from being slaughtered...

In Nigeria where there is limited option on occupation or source of income, this video is bound to happen. We can shout to high heavens but the truth is that people are hungry and will kill and eat anything to survive.

spinna:


hm no be so oyibo dey take recognise serial killers. Every animal deserves a quick death if it must die..im not judging you though i did such as a child but as adults we must do the right thing by being humane..In Nigeria we sometimes are not even human talk less of humane

foreign rat go see you... instead make dem japa..dem go dey cum close to you with fear oooooh but if naija animal sense say person dey come... hmmmm...so sometimes no be our fault

Nigerians are hypocrites! Many are shouting animal cruelty online, but they do the same offline.




There’s so much hunger in land! You will not understand if you have food in your house.

But, how can people eat such animal?
Looking at it gets me irritated

Hungry Nigerian

Nigeria is an example of an Esau nation. There's no sense of cultivation and nurture. Only to eat, live and deplete the environment.

Animal cruelty

Kindness to animals should be thought in schools. We lack that basic training in Nigeria.

is there any sense in dragging it like that? cant they butcher it and move it in bits if they so much need to eat and feed on it, now if Fulani Herdsmen also threat them in this barbaric way they squawk and wail


.

The Ministry of Environment should do more than react to the video. Where's the plan for sensitisation? Are there incentives for turning in these manatees?

It's easy to blame these guys but what do they know? Most of them aren't enlightened enough, and are only looking for their next meal.

These guys should be arrested; I mean, this is terribly bad.

Ignorance and poverty at it's peak

Food is ready

Chai

Calling some Nigerians animals is even dignifying them,some are worse than animals.

When you live in a jungle, don't expect any less.

Cool... but let's bear in mind that as we all react to these animal cruelty committed by some heartless persons, do we also react to the current killings of innocent lives thesame way.. together we all can raise our voices to stop animal cruelty and innocent killings, police brutality and others..

Poor manatee

Ok

R.I.p dear manatee

Please what is wrong with us in this part of the world

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