This archive report was first published on 26 July 2019.
On July 26, 2019, a state parliament in southwest Nigeria was disrupted by an unexpected visitor: a snake.
According to Olugbenga Omole, a spokesman for lawmakers from Ondo State, the snake 'ran out of the chamber which disrupted our sitting and we had to hurriedly leave the chamber.'
The snake, which had apparently fallen from the roof, was caught and killed by parliament staff before it could cause any harm.
Omole blamed the incident on the dilapidated state of the assembly, citing a lack of funds and overdue maintenance.
As a result, the house was forced to adjourn indefinitely, with lawmakers deciding to stay away until a proper fumigation of the complex was done.
This was not the first time the parliament had dealt with unwanted wildlife, with complaints of rodents and reptiles in the bushes around the complex.
However, it was the first time a snake had made an appearance on the assembly floor.
Nigeria is home to many species of snakes, including venomous vipers, spitting cobras, and puff adders.
According to a 2001 study, nearly 500 people per 100,000 of the population are bitten by snakes in Nigeria on average per year, with a mortality rate of one in eight.
