A man has died and another is fighting for his life after three travellers were allegedly assaulted by park rangers in Tanzania’s Ngorongoro Conservation Area, prompting police to arrest three rangers as investigations into the incident continue.
The three men were detained by rangers on Wednesday morning after they were accused of entering the protected area on a motorcycle without following the required procedures. Police said the men were travelling from Arusha to Babati, about 166km away, to attend a funeral when they lost their way.
Police are investigating how 25-year-old Sefu Musa died after the group was detained inside the conservation area. His fellow traveller, Salimu Haji, was taken to hospital where he is receiving treatment, while the third man, Abdallah Nuru, managed to return to Arusha following the incident.
Nuru has accused the rangers of subjecting the three men to a brutal assault after arresting them on suspicion of being poachers.
Speaking to local media, Nuru alleged that they had passed through the Ngorongoro gate before realising they had taken the wrong route. He said they then decided to turn back but were arrested by rangers as they returned through the gate.
According to Nuru, the men explained that they had lost their way and were on their way to a funeral, but the rangers accused them of being poachers.
Nuru alleged they were ordered to strip off their clothes and roll on thorny shrubs while the rangers poured water over them. He also said they were beaten during the ordeal.
Nuru said both Musa and Haji lost consciousness as the alleged assault continued.
He said that despite his own injuries, he helped take his colleagues to hospital. Musa was later declared dead, while Haji remained in critical condition.
Police confirmed that the three rangers had been arrested as part of investigations into the circumstances surrounding the death and injuries.
The incident comes amid longstanding concerns raised by rights groups and local communities over how law enforcement is carried out in Ngorongoro, including allegations of excessive force, arbitrary arrests and harassment during conservation operations.
The area has also been at the centre of disputes involving Maasai communities who have lived alongside wildlife there for generations. Some communities have previously faced forced relocation as authorities moved to enforce conservation measures in the area.
Authorities have maintained that the measures are necessary to protect the conservation area and ensure that its regulations are followed.