A number of farmers in the Malleri community in Kwami Local Government Area of Gombe State have expressed concern over hippopotamus attacks ravaging their farmlands. These farmers lamented that the frequent hippo attacks exposed them to great loss. According to the farmers, the hippos swept through farmlands, feeding on rice, beans, okra and other vegetables cultivated on farmlands thus reducing the profit margin for the farmers.
Reacting to the farmer's complaint, Ismaila Uba-Misilli, director-general, of press affairs of the Government House, Gombe, said the affected farmlands were under the purview of the Upper Benue River Basin Development Authority (BRBDA). Mr Mba-Misilli reiterated the government’s commitment to addressing any issue affecting state citizens towards improving their livelihoods and protecting lives and property.
The DG said that officials of the Gombe State government met with Lynne Baker, an American conservation biologist and some non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in May 2022 to discuss how to establish a hippos colony. He further stated that hippos had been classified as a vulnerable species, hence the need to protect and preserve them for posterity.
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