Members of the family of an Ogun State-based hunter, Olasunkanmi Olakiye, are currently grieving following his untimely death.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the 35-year-old man was accidentally shot dead by one of his co-hunters while they were on a hunting expedition in a bush in the Odeda area of the state on April 20.
The incident, it was learnt, threw the Egba Hunters Association, a group the deceased belonged to, into confusion.
The group’s leader, Alao Yusuf, confirmed the incident in an interview with PUNCH Metro on Monday, describing it as an accident.
Yusuf said the information gathered from the group members who were with the deceased showed that he was accidentally shot by a team member when they were making attempts to kill an antelope in the bush.
He regretted that efforts made by his colleagues to save Olakiye’s life proved futile as he was pronounced dead at the hospital where he was rushed to.
He said although the incident was reported at a police station, the family of the deceased decided not to press charges.
He said, “I was told that they went to the bush for hunting and that the antelope that was shot died but the bullet hit Olakiye. Immediately, they said that he was rushed to the hospital but that before they got there, he was already dead.
“The matter was reported at the Odeda Police Station and even Olakiye’s brothers were part of the hunting expedition.
“Olakiye’s family decided not to press charges because they said it was an accidental discharge that claimed the life of their kinsman.”
A member of a vigilante group in the state, Alabi Adesina, also confirmed the incident.
“When we heard what happened, we quickly called the police to inform them of the incident. We would always report issues like this because, under the law, nothing of these kinds should be overlooked,” he said.
Efforts made by our correspondent to talk to any member of the deceased’s family did not yield results as of the time of filing this report on Monday.
When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed the development.
While confirming that the deceased family decided not to press charges, Oyeyemi said the police still did their work and discovered that it was a case of accidental discharge.
The PPRO said, “I am aware of the matter. All of them are hunters. One of them shot at an animal and the bullet hit one of their members (Olakiye). They reported the matter at the Odeda Police Station. We investigated and discovered that it was a case of an accidental discharge.
“The family of the dead man said they would not press charges since it was not a case of intentional killing. But we did our work properly and we are still on the matter. As we speak, an investigation on the matter is on.”
