Invasion by monkeys from natural habitat is
forcing many residents of Soluyi/Sosanya Community in Gbagada, Lagos State, to
flee.
Some of the residents told the News Agency of
Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Monday that they could no longer withstand the
situation.
They called on the state government to save the
community from the trouble, saying the animals got into their rooms, destroying
window and door nets, food stuffs and other items.
The chairman of the community’s Landlord
Association, Adigun Olaleye, said it had become difficult for the community to
curtail the monkeys and their destructive attitude.
He said the invasion might have resulted from
the nearness of the community to a swamp forest that separated the community
from Ifako area.
According to him, the monkeys come into
residences at any time including early morning and gain entrance into rooms
even if the houses are locked.
Mr. Olalaye told NAN the community had written
a letter to the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture as regards the situation
but had yet to get a relief.
“They said we would have to pay for them to
come and pack the monkeys,” he said.
He said the invasion had been on for years but
recently became unbearable.
Mr. Olaleye appealed to the state government to
urgently intervene.
A journalist who lives in the community,
Funmilola Gboteku, told NAN that the monkeys had forced her family to flee.
“Many times, these monkeys come to the
neighbourhood to destroy our property. Once they see food items inside a house,
they direct all their energies at gaining entrance forcefully.
“The monkeys are in the habit of tearing the
protective nets on
windows to gain entrance and eat whatever they
find in the house.
“I have had to replace the protective nets
several times; I am tired of doing it.
“I have been locking my windows but locking of
windows has disadvantages; there is no cross ventilation in the house, and as
as result, we suffer heat,’’ she told NAN.
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