RESIDENTS of the Maryland suburb of Lagos have been gripped by a recent fear of reptiles after security guards on the Greenland Estate in the Mende area killed three 30-foot pythons yesterday.
Following the killing of the reptiles, panic spread throughout the estate as residents expressed fear for their safety. Apparently the animals were exposed after the dredging activities of the Lagos State government opened up where they were hibernating.
It was gathered that after killing the pythons, the security guards on the estate put them up for sale for N10,000. Sola Adekoya, the vice chairman of the estate, said more than 15 pythons had been killed on the estate in 2016 alone, urging the government to find a lasting solution to the overgrown canals in the area.
He added: “The security men and some squatters caught the three pythons this morning around 8am and the giant snakes were about 30-foot long. We have seen more than 15 pythons this year alone as the guards kill them regularly.
"The reason is that the canals are overgrown and the snakes always hide under the canals. We need government intervention on time to avoid any tragedy.”
As a result, local residents in the area always now stay indoors at night for fear of being attacked by snakes. Mr Adeoye urged the Lagos State government to create a zoological garden for the animals to preserve them and generate income for the state.
Mr Adeoye said: “These snakes are worth a fortune abroad, so the Lagos State government should conduct a wildlife survey in order to preserve threatened animals and plants. How can you be talking of a mega city without a green zone or a biological garden?
"The young men have gone to sell the snakes for N10,000. A generation of rare animal species gone down the throat in less than 24 hours, which merely reflects poverty of ideas in governance.”
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