Residents butcher stranded whale in Bayelsa

Residents of Okpoama community in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa have butchered a stranded whale on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean close to the community.

According to sources, the stranded whale said to be about 15 metres long, 5 metres wide, and 3 metres high, may have grounded on Tuesday night due to a low sea wave at the river bank.

When the residents of the community met the stranded whale on Wednesday morning, they trooped out with machetes, chainsaws, and axes to dismember the sea animal for meat.

Our correspondent reports that the butchering is still ongoing as of the time of filling out the report at Okpoama Waterside.

A former Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Bayelsa State and an indigene of the community, Mr Tarinyo Akono, said the whale may have died after it got stranded due to a low wave.

He stated that the animal was grounded Tuesday night when people had gone to sleep, adding that if it was found alive, it could have been rescued and sent back to the sea.

Also, the Youth President of the Okpoama community, Engr. Seiyefa Felix Ben-Basuo, confirmed the incident and that the 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

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