There was tension within Dong Community in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State on Monday following the escape of a hyena at the state owned wildlife park.
It was learnt that the hyena escaped from its confinement at the park located in the Dong community of Jos North LGA on Sunday, thereby causing hostility among residents of Dong community and the neighboring state and Federal Low-Cost estates.
The General Manager, Plateau State Tourism Corporation, Chuwang Pwajok, confirmed the development in a voice message assured residents that efforts were being made to crack down the wild animal, the message reads “I received a report yesterday of a hyena escaping from its enclosure at the Jos Wild Life Park and immediately directed all our staff, especially the park rangers and animal keepers on guard, to take immediate steps to locate the animal.
“The effort has been ongoing since yesterday all through today, and the report reaching me at the Jos Wildife unit has it clearly that the animal expectation at least, will not wander off far from its abode because It hasn’t been acclimatised to the surrounding environment and all it knows is the Jos Wildlife Park.
“You know the park is quite a huge span of land and all hands are on the deck in trying to locate the wild animal and lure it back into its enclosure.
“So, we’re all trying our best to make sure that there’s no harm to people within the park and even the animals. We sent out information to the public, informing them of what has happened.”
The general manager also dismissed speculations going around in some quaters that the hyena had escaped from the park due to hunger and starvation.
