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Starvation has hit Imo State Zoological Garden and Wildlife Park claiming the lives of over 250 animals valued at over N38 million.

The park, located at Nekede Anicent Kingdom in Owerri West Local Government Area (LGA) of the state, houses different species of animals including three lions.

Sources close to the garden disclosed that the surviving animals are near death due to hunger.

It was learnt that it cost more than N1.2 million to feed the about 500 animals in a month with some government subvention which is longer forthcoming. This is now threatening the extinction of the Zoological Garden established in 1976.

The Nation investigation revealed that the garden which was previously generating its own revenue from local and foreign tourists to sustain itself could no longer do so as the road linking the zoo to the Owerri capital city has collapsed, following an ecological disaster.

The only link road, said to have been constructed by the Rochas Okorocha administration, collapsed before the administration of Hope Uzodimma.

A foreign tourist, Michael Benbruse who spoke to The Nation, expressed displeasure over the poor state of the animals in the Zoo.

“I’m a Russian citizen and an international tourist. I visited Imo Zoo today to see for myself how the animals are faring. But I must tell you that I’m emotionally traumatised with what I saw in the zoological garden.

“What I see here is a near-death condition of the lions and other animals which are not catered for,” Benbruse said.

Efforts to reach the General Manager of the Zoological Garden, Francis Abisoye did not yield results.

The Head of Department (HOD), Forestry, Ozo Chino, refused to comment on the issue.

“I am just the HOD, not the permanent secretary or the commissioner,” Abisoye said.

“Over 250 of the animals have died because of hunger. To feed these animals costs just N1.2 million a month. And now the animals that we have lost are valued at over N38 million.

“The problem is not even whether the state government is giving us subvention or not, they can never get those species of animals we have lost because they are not animals you can get easily anywhere in the world.”

Contacted, the Commissioner for Tourism, Mr. Uche Ohia said the government has been facing a few challenges there, particularly the road linking the city to the zoo, which has been destroyed by an ecological problem.

He said the government was constrained with funding when the disaster happened.

“The state government has prioritised staff salaries and emoluments before the ecological disaster happened and we are trying to see where to squeeze some funds to ensure we sustain the animals before the road project is completed.

“When the animals are not well fed, they lose weight, it is not that they are not fed, but they are not fed as they used to be. We were stable before the ecological challenge and the animal population was well over 500 but now we have lost some,” Ohia said.

He however disclosed that “the governor has graciously approved some money for us to save the tide.”

On the alleged attempt to convert the zoological garden to an estate, he denied knowledge of such.

“I have also heard the rumour but I am not aware of any such plan,” Ohia said.

On the matter of subvention, he explained that the issue was gradually being phased out as every government project must now find a way to sustain itself in view of the government’s lean resources which followed the global economic meltdown.

“We want to see how we can make parastatals, agencies depending on government subventions to generate revenues to sustain themselves instead of becoming a burden. Tourism facilities must find a way to be self-sustaining. So, we are gradually driving towards that path,” Ohia added.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday arrived Durban, South Africa, from Paris as part of his ongoing socio-economic diplomatic missions aimed at enhancing security and economic transformation of the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Nigerian leader is in Durban at the special invitation of President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, to attend the inauguration of the second Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) 2021 on Monday.

The theme of the Fair, ”Building Bridges for a Successful AfCFTA”, aims at boosting trade and investments across the African continent, Mr Femi Adesina, the presidential spokesman, said in a statement in Abuja.

Adesina stressed that the event would also seek to create the enabling environment for businesses to thrive across the continent.

The event is expected to generate market information needed to connect buyers and sellers throughout the continent.

”Global businesses, including non-African international brands, are expected to key into opportunities generated by the fair, thereby attracting to continental trade investment deals worth $40 billion dollars,” the president’s media aide said.

The president was earlier in Paris on Nov. 9 on an official visit as guest of President Emmanuel Macron at Palais de l’Élysée.

He also attended the three-day Paris Peace Forum (PPF) from Nov. 11 to 13.
Buhari and his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, met and discussed issues of mutual interest for both countries.

The discussions focused particularly on strengthening economic ties, improving partnership on security, and working jointly on education, health and halting the threats of COVID-19 to the global economy.

While in Paris, the president also attended the Nigeria International Partnership Forum (NIPF), which brought together the Nigerian and French governments as well as their private sectors in wide-ranging discussions.

On Nov. 10, Buhari attended a working lunch at Palais Elysee in Paris where he appreciated efforts of President Macron in expanding opportunities for business between Nigerians and French citizens, while committing to partnership to degrade international criminal networks.

The president also in Paris, met with the President of Islamic Development Bank (IDB), Dr Mohammed Al-Jasser, and the Minister of State Foreign Affairs of United Arab Emirate, Sheikh Shakboot Alnahyan.

Buhari, who also attended the 75th anniversary of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in Paris, France, on Friday, saying Nigeria remains proud of its close association with the organisation since its establishment, 75 years ago.

According to the Nigerian leader, the world has an opportunity to count gains of the UNESCO in the last 75 years, while exploring the historic moment for building solidarity and enthroning peace.

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo had earlier on Nov. 8 presided over a high-level meeting on Nutrition attended by United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Mrs Amina Mohammed, State Governors, and representatives of development partners, including UNICEF.

Others at the meeting included the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Aliko Dangote Foundation, and convener of the UN Food System Dialogue, Mrs Olusola Idowu, who is also the Permanent Secretary, Budget and National Planning Ministry.

Osinbajo also represented president Buhari at the ECOWAS Extraordinary Summit of the Authority of Heads of State and Government held in Accra, Ghana, during the week.

The meeting review the political situations in Guinea and Mali, and decided to maintain the sanctions imposed on Guinea and imposed similar ones against the Mali Transitional Government.

In the week under review, Buhari also congratulated Prof. Charles Soludo, the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), for winning the gubernatorial election in Anambra.

He praised the security agencies for their determination to ensure that the election went on as smoothly as possible.

The president equally commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the successful conclusion of the exercise despite the initial challenges encountered.

Buhari, who is expected back in Nigeria on Nov. 16, ended the week under review in a shock and sadness, following the demise of Brig.-Gen. Dzarma Zirkusu and three soldiers who paid ”the supreme sacrifice while fighting terrorists in the Northeast zone of the country.

Seif al-Islam Gaddafi, son of slain Libyan dictator Moamer Gaddafi, registered Sunday to run in the country’s December presidential polls, the electoral commission said.

“Seif al-Islam Kadhafi submitted… his candidacy for the presidential election to the High National Electoral Commission office in the (southern) city of Sebha,” a statement by the commission said.

It said he had completed “all the required legal conditions” and that he was also issued with a voter registration card for the Sebha district.

Libya’s first ever direct presidential poll, with a first round on December 24, is the climax of a process launched last year by the United Nations to draw a line under years of violence since the revolt that toppled dictator Gaddafi in 2011.

Libya opened registration for candidates on Monday.

In a rare interview, he said he wanted to “restore the lost unity” of Libya after a decade of chaos and did not exclude standing for the presidency.

The dictator’s erstwhile heir apparent is wanted for crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court (ICC).

Until the interview, Seif al-Islam had not been seen or heard from since June 2014, when he appeared via video link from Zintan, in the west of the country, during his trial by a Tripoli court. (AFP)