Mole park elephant attacks poacher

An alleged poacher at the Mole National Park, Game and Wildlife Reserve at Damongo, in the Savannah Region, is in the grip of the police for allegedly shooting an elephant inside the game reserve.

The suspect, Yakubu Seidu, popularly known as Chigoo is said to be a notorious poacher and had previously been convicted for a similar offence.

The elephant he reportedly shot attacked him resulting in a waist dislocation.

As a result, the suspect was unable to move and laid on the ground until the police and park managers pounced on him.

The police later sent him to the Damongo hospital for treatment.

Seidu and some of the community members at Larabanga where he resides claimed he was attacked by a Buffalo but managers of the park said it was rather an elephant that attacked him.

The Manager of the Park, Mr. Omar Farouk, who confirmed the incident to Graphic Online stated that they do not know as off now if the suspect succeeded in killing the elephant or not as they have not found any dead animal at the park.

He stated further that the suspect was rather attacked by an elephant not Buffalo as being claimed by the suspect, explaining that if the suspect was attacked by a Buffalo he might have sustained multiple wounds than the waist dislocation.

He said the suspect is known for poaching big animals such as elephants, buffalos, antelopes among others at the park.

He stated that in 2006 the suspect was said to have been attacked by an elephant in the park when he went there for poaching and had his stomach split and his intestines gushed out but in the process of getting well at the hospital he fled to avoid being prosecuted.

The suspect, a year later reportedly killed an antelope in the park and was arrested and jailed seven years, adding that the suspect only returned from prison about three years ago.

The suspect since his return from prison is said to have killed five elephants.

Mr. Farouk told Graphic Online that the latest incident happened on Sunday when the suspect in the company of two other hunters entered the game and wildlife reserve.

He said the suspect was said to have shot an elephant but the animal attacked him leading to the dislocation of his waist but he (suspect) claimed he was attacked by a buffalo.

Mr Farouk said the hunters in the company of Seidu who could not walk pulled him to a spot near Zaina Lodge in the Mole National Park and then fled to Larabanga for fear of being arrested by the guards at the park and then reported the matter to the assemblyman of the area who quickly informed the authorities at the park.

He said he rather asked the assemblyman to report the matter to the police.

"The police arrived late so we could not enter the forest until this morning to rescue the suspect who is currently on admission at the Damongo hospital.”

When Graphic Online contacted the police at Damongo they confirmed the story but declined to comment further.