SAMBISA FOREST, Nigeria — A spokesperson for the influential activist group Boko Haram has decried the murder of an innocent African citizen in Hwange National Park earlier this month, telling reporters that the tragedy was one of “the worst things to happen in African history.”

Cecil, the 13-year-old victim, was a cherished and well-respected member of the local community in Zimbabwe, according to numerous sources. He was killed by a foreign species, later identified by zoologists as a dēns Americanus peregrinatione, an invasive predatory animal derived from common American dentists which leaves its homeland and pays large sums of money to shoot things, so they can later be displayed in its den above the fireplace.

“Cecil will not be forgotten!” read a tweet by Boko Haram public affairs officer Jamaal Abu-Sayid, which is sure to rally the fervent support of thousands of people across the Internet, ensuring the longevity of his memory would last for at least 24 more hours.