News
SAD! Millionaire big game hunter crushed to d@ath by herd of 5 elephants
An American big game hunter has died after being attacked by elephants during a hunting expedition in Gabon, in an incident that has sent shockwaves through hunting and conservation circles.
Ernie Dosio, 75, was killed in the Lope region after he and his professional hunter guide unexpectedly encountered a herd of five forest elephants, including a calf, while on a licensed hunt for a yellow-backed duiker.
According to accounts, the elephants, concealed in dense forest, charged after being startled. The professional hunter was attacked first, sustaining serious injuries and losing his rifle in the undergrowth, leaving Dosio with only a shotgun as the situation escalated. He was subsequently trampled to death.
Safari operator Collect Africa confirmed that a client was killed on April 17 during the hunt, adding that the professional hunter was injured in the encounter. The company said the matter is being handled in coordination with authorities and the victim’s family.
Dosio, a California-based vineyard owner, was an experienced hunter who had pursued a wide range of game across Africa and the United States. He owned Pacific AgriLands Inc., a company managing thousands of acres of vineyards, and was known for his extensive collection of hunting trophies, including elephant, lion, rhino and buffalo.
He was also an active member of several organisations, including the Sacramento Safari Club and California Wildfowl, and held a leadership role within the Elks Lodge network, which supports community and charitable initiatives.
Friends and associates described him as a prominent figure in both hunting and local community circles. One associate said: “Ernie has been hunting since he could hold a rifle and has many trophies from Africa and the US… What happened has been deeply felt by many each side of the Atlantic.”
Dosio had reportedly been on a £30,000 hunting trip targeting species including yellow-backed duiker and dwarf forest buffalo under strict licensing rules, which required him to use firearms provided by the hunting company.
Gabon is home to around 60 per cent of the world’s remaining forest elephant population, with large areas of dense rainforest where wildlife encounters can be unpredictable. Experts note that elephants, particularly females with calves, can react aggressively when they feel threatened.
The U.S. Embassy in Gabon is assisting with the repatriation of Dosio’s body to California, where he lived with his family. Gabon, often described as one of Africa’s most forested nations, is home to a significant population of forest elephants, which can be highly protective, particularly when calves are present.
US President Donald Trump said Saturday a shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner would not deter him from the Iran war, although he believed the incident was unlikely linked to the conflict.
“It’s not going to deter me from winning the war in Iran. I don’t know if that had anything to do with it, I really don’t think so, based on what we know,” Trump told reporters in a briefing at the White House after the shocking security incident.
Trump had earlier said, however, that “you never know” if it could be linked to the Iran war, and said investigators were working on the motive of the shooter whom he described as a “lone wolf.”
The US leader earlier Saturday canceled his envoys’ trip to Pakistan for peace talks with Iran, after being unimpressed with Tehran’s negotiating position following nearly two months of war.
The Edo State Police Command Saturday said it has rescued nine victims abducted from two separate incidents during a recent kidnapping incident along the Benin–Lagos Expressway.
A statement by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Eno Ikoedem, noted that the rescue follows recent attacks along the busy highway, including a reported assault on a GUO Transport bus.
It said the immediate and massive deployment of tactical teams, intelligence assets, aerial surveillance, and other operational resources by the Commissioner of Police, CP Monday Agbonika, Commissioner of Police, Edo State Command, to the affected corridor, led to the operation’s success.
“The sustained rescue efforts, coordinated bush-combing operations, and strategic domination of the area exerted pressure on the kidnappers ultimately leading to the safe rescue of all victims. They have since received medical evaluation and treatment, and reunited with their families”, the statement read.
Four of the kidnapped victims who were abducted earlier this month and held in captivity within the Imiegba forest in Agenebode have been rescued.
“They have likewise received medical attention and are safe, making a total of nine kidnapped victims rescued.
“The Edo State Police Command wishes to reassure the public, particularly commuters and residents, that security deployment along the Benin–Lagos Expressway and adjoining communities has been significantly strengthened”, the statement said, adding that
Tactical, intelligence, and operational assets have been fully activated across the axis, and the deployments will remain in place until the route is completely safe and secure for all road users.
The Command said it is also intensifying efforts to apprehend the perpetrators of these heinous crimes.
‘We are confident that all those involved will be tracked down and brought to justice in the shortest possible time”.
Ahead of the 2027 general elections, political momentum appears to be building within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Borno State, as party leaders and stakeholders have openly declared support for the re-election bid of President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.
The endorsement, which took place during a stakeholders’ meeting at the Government House in Maiduguri, signals an early consolidation of party loyalty in the North-East, even as broader national political alignments continue to evolve.
Presiding over the gathering, the APC National Vice Chairman (North), Ali Bukar Dalori, formally tabled the motion for adoption of the joint ticket, putting it to a voice vote.
He said, “Let me also put the motion to a voice vote. Those in support of the joint ticket of Tinubu/Kashim should say ‘Aye’,” drawing a resounding chorus of approval from attendees, saying that the “Ayes have it”.
Despite the early endorsement, speakers at the meeting stressed the importance of cohesion within party ranks. Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum urged members to sustain unity and avoid divisive tendencies as political activities gather pace.
He said, “Power is something that God gives to whom he wishes. No matter how much you dislike a person, if God gives it to him, he will get it.”
The governor further called on party faithful to remain aligned with democratic principles while intensifying grassroots mobilization ahead of the polls.
“Already the party chairman made this appeal and reemphasized our commitment to work for the success of the Tinubu/Kashim joint ticket in the 2027 general election,” he said.
Adding to the narrative of growing support, the state APC chairman, Bello Ayuba, pointed to ongoing political realignments, attributing them to governance efforts within the state.
“As I’m talking to you now, a large number of decampees from other political parties are waiting to be formally accepted into the APC,” he added.
The development underscores a strategic push by the party in Borno to strengthen its base, even as the national political landscape gradually tilts toward the next electoral cycle.
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