Seyi Tayese, Yenagoa
Residents of Okpoama community in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, on Wednesday morning, began to butcher a stranded giant whale at the seaside of the Atlantic Ocean close to the community.
The stranded whale said to be about 15 meters long, 5 meters wide and 3 meters in height, may have been grounded on Tuesday night due to low sea tide at the river bank.
When the residents of the community met the stranded whale on Wednesday morning, they trooped out with machetes, hawk shaws and axes to dismember the sea animal for consumption.
Daily News Hub reports that the butchering was still ongoing at Okpoama waterside as of the time of filling this report.
A former Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Bayelsa State, who is an indigene of the area, Mr Tarinyo Akono, said the whale may have died after it got stranded due to low wave.
He stated that the animal was grounded since the night when people had gone to sleep, adding that if it had been found alive, it could have been rescued and sent back to the sea.
Also, the Youth President of Okpoama community, Engr. Seiyefa Felix Ben-Basuo, who confirmed the incident, said people were at the waterside butchering the animal.
It was observed that the high tide from the river due to the rainy season might have brought the animal to the river bank before it was stranded.
In August 2019, a similar giant whale got stranded at the same waterside and was also butchered by the residents for meat.
