The Adamawa State government has clarified that the recreational facility featured in a viral social media video showing cement-moulded animals is privately owned and has no connection with the state government.
The government made the clarification in a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Leader Leneke, following the broadcast of the video by Arise TV.
The video showed a woman and her children at a recreational facility in Yola, where she claimed to have paid a N500 entrance fee before expressing disappointment that some of the animals she expected to see were cement-moulded representations of lions, crocodiles and other figures rather than live animals.
According to the government, the issue would ordinarily have been regarded as social media content, but its subsequent broadcast on a national television platform made it necessary to provide clarification.
The government stressed that the facility featured in the video is not owned, operated, managed or controlled by the state government.
It explained that the state-owned Jimeta Amusement Park is currently undergoing comprehensive reconstruction and transformation, with the old facility already demolished to pave the way for a modern amusement and recreational centre.
The redevelopment, according to the statement, is expected to be completed around October 2026 and will include facilities and attractions designed to meet contemporary and international standards.
The government identified the facility in the viral video as Wet Land Recreational Park and Garden, located along the Yola Bypass.
It said the facility is exclusively owned by Hajiya Maisaratu Bello, a retired civil servant and former permanent secretary in the Adamawa State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development.
The government described the private recreational park as an initiative that provides families, children and members of the public with a space for relaxation, events and recreational activities.
It commended the owner for investing her resources in providing additional recreational opportunities for residents and visitors to the state.
The statement, however, expressed concern over the broadcast of the video by Arise TV without, according to the government, adequately establishing the ownership and status of the facility.
The government said a simple verification would have established that the park was privately owned and had no connection with the state government.
It emphasised that while media organisations have the right to report matters of public interest, they also have a responsibility to verify facts, establish context and distinguish between public and private enterprises.
The government warned that the rapid spread of social media content makes proper verification particularly important, noting that misleading impressions can quickly reach a national and international audience.
The Fintiri administration said it would not allow the controversy to distract it from its development agenda, stressing its focus on healthcare, education, agriculture, youth empowerment, poverty alleviation, urban renewal, infrastructure, business development, peace and security.
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It added that the reconstruction of Jimeta Amusement Park forms part of its broader urban renewal programme and commitment to providing functional public recreational facilities.
The government urged members of the public to view the viral video within the proper context and disregard claims suggesting that the facility is owned or operated by the state government.
It also called on media organisations, social media influencers and commentators to make fact-checking and verification standard practices in public communication.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the recreational facility featured in the viral video is a private establishment and has absolutely no ownership, management or operational connection with the Adamawa State Government,” the statement said.
The government reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, accountability, responsible governance and constructive engagement with the media and citizens of Adamawa State.
