Father of six dies in tragic gun accident in Bayelsa community

The community of Oloibiri in the Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State was thrown into mourning at the weekend after a father of six reportedly died after his gun accidentally went off.

It was gathered that the middle-aged man, identified as Mr. Claude Tonworio, a farmer and hunter, was said to have had a Dane gun hanging on his neck while trying to transfer his harvested farm produce from his canoe to the house. He was found with bullet wounds on his head after the gun went off accidentally.

The incident was said to have happened on the 26th of August while he was preparing to enjoy the weekend with his family.

A family source told journalists that the incident has left pain and sorrow to the Otobo family of Eguema and Ogbolobiri in Nembe Local Government Area of the state, noting that the deceased, also a civil servant, accidentally shot himself when he slipped and fell while packing his produce.

She said, “The whole community is still in shock of his death. He is a civil servant but most weekends he comes to the village to stay with the family, and this Saturday was one of such. He left the family to the farm, with his farm tools and hunter gun to also hunt animals.

“He usually goes in a canoe, where he keeps whatever is harvested. On Saturday 26th, he went the same way, so we were all waiting. He came back and was trying to bring in the farm produce. We heard a loud sound, but we didn’t suspect something had gone wrong, but by the time people went outside, they discovered he was lying on the floor bleeding and struggling for survival with a shattered head through bullet wounds.

“All attempt to rush him to the hospital was not productive, as he died on the way. The corpse was later taken to waterside for rituals as the custom demands.

“He must have slipped and fell, so the gun which was loaded already exploded, it’s a sad incident for the family. Who will take care of the six children he left behind?”

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Asinim Butswat, said the incident was yet to be reported to the command.