Adaklu lion on rampage

The mysterious wild animal suspected to be a hungry lion which attacked the Chief of Adaklu Workpe, a small farming community within the Adaklu Anyigbe District, about two weeks ago, has resurfaced.

Footsteps and evidence of activities of the man-eating animal have been sighted near Abutia on the main Ho-Accra road.

This was confirmed to DAILY GUIDE by officials of the Kalakpa Game Reserve at Abutia Kloe within the Ho Municipality.

Officials at the Kalakpa Game Reserve have confirmed to DAILY GUIDE the presence of the lion but said they were making every effort to track it down.

The exclusive story was carried in the February 23, 2009 edition of DAILY GUIDE.

In the last few weeks, the animal is said to have devoured a cow, leaving its carcass behind.

“For now, we only want to know in which particular area it is and then we would lay ambush for it; but by then, we should have received signals from our superiors as to whether we should kill it or not,” one of the officials told this paper.

They noted that the footprints are obviously those of a lion and further explained that “in some of the instances, the animal seems to have walked away so leisurely. We could detect it from the footprints it left”.

They observed that the animal usually walks leisurely when its belly is full.

The wildlife officials explained that the lion might have entered from Adaklu which shares a boundary with the Kalakpa Reserve. They hinted that they traced its footprints for some distance until they came to a tarred road where they could no longer trace it, but were hopeful that they would soon track the animal down.

They confirmed that there had been signs of the animal's presence in areas such as Abutia Kloe, Kpota Kissiflui and Ando.

This time, the lion has evidently announced its presence in the area, forcing even the most 'Doubting Thomas' to believe - a situation that has undoubtedly injected fear and anxiety into residents of these areas.

Among the evidence being left around by the deadly animal are its big footprints which are so clear especially in areas where it recently rained.

It does not only leave its footprints but has also devoured some cattle in the area to gain some more energy for further possible destructions.

The clear evidence of the presence of the lion in the above-mentioned areas has however affected the daily activities of the people as their farming and other income-earning ventures have come to a standstill.

Meanwhile, Torgbe Dzamesi II, who is being treated at the Ho General Hospital is said to be in a critical condition and suffering from a 'locked jaw' that makes it difficult for him to talk, eat or drink.

The Chief's neck has also stiffened and some parts of his body are swollen.

When DAILY GUIDE visited him at the hospital, he was using sign language to communicate which could barely be understood.

Some residents this paper spoke to appealed to the authorities to send down more experts to collaborate with those already in the region “so that they can track down the animal before things get out of hand”.

They confessed that when they first heard about the presence of the animal and its subsequent attack on the Adaklu Workpe Chief, they made mockery of the news because they did not believe it; but now, they have to deal with the presence of a lion within their vicinity, and are therefore no longer amused.

They observed that when this paper and other media houses also reported the attack on the Chief by the lion, many were those who called into some FM stations to throw cold water on the story, labeling it as an “invented story”.

The development, according our investigations, is causing a number of people to arm themselves with locally manufactured weapons in case of any possible attack by the lion.

Officials have however appealed to the people not to attempt to hunt the animal on their own as it might attack and kill them, and reiterated their commitment to tracking the animal soon.

In a related issue, a relative of the Adaklu Workpe Chief has told DAILY GUIDE that the family is worried about the Chief's deteriorating condition.

“When the incident happened and he was sent to the hospital, he did not look so bad. His situation is very terrible now but we are looking up to God to save him,” he said.

Meanwhile, a group of young men from Workpe and its surrounding areas who stormed the forest about a week ago in search of the lion have given up.

Isaac Dzamesi, a member of the search team and a son of the Chief told DAILY GUIDE that they gave up the search because they could no longer get any clues.

From Wise Donkor, Abutia-Kloe