By FEMI AKINOLA
A herd of stray elephants suspected to come from neighbouring Cameroon has invaded some Borno Communities and destroyed crops and farmlands, the Forest and Wildlife in Borno Ministry of the Environment raised alarm.
The ministry begs for guns and firecrackers needed to scare the elephants away and permanently stopped their menace in the affected communities.
Mr. Ayuba Peter, a Director in the ministry made the disclosure during interview with news men in Maiduguri on Monday. He said the ugly incident have been a regular occurence in the affected communities in the last five years.
Highlighting details of the incident, he said the ministry have been having reports of elephants destroying farmlands in Gamboru/ Ngala and Kala-Blge Local Government Areas of the state for the past five years.
His words: ” They used to come from a Forest Reserve in neighbouring Cameroon Republic at this time nd roam around, causing serious destruction to farmslnds until flood water receeds around December.”
Peter added that the menace of the stray elephants had been reported to the Federal Government therough the National Park for urgent intervention adding that items such as guns and firecrackers are needed to scare the elephants away.
He noted that efforts by the ministry to scare away the stray elephants were being frustrated by flooding, coupled with high level of insecurity at the border communities.
The director called for support by various stakeholders, including non-government organisataions to permanently put a stop to the menace of these elephants.
He equally appealed to the government at all levels to give financial support to the farmers whose crops and farms were destroyed by these stray elephants.