Masquerader burnt to death during fire stunt in Anambra

A masquerader has been burnt to death during a stunt at a festival in Anambra State.

Our correspondent gathered that the incident happened on Saturday at Ogbunike during the Eli’m Ede Cultural Festival.

The festival is an annual event, where masqueraders of various sizes and shapes gather at the village square to entertain indigenes.

An eyewitness said followers of the masquerader, while leading him to Amawa Square to entertain the waiting spectators, pulled a fire stunt in front of the masquerader while he sat on the ground.

He said, “They later extinguished the fire. Unknown to his followers, the fire had entered the raffia costume worn by the masquerader, and before they could put it off, it had spread all over his body and burnt the man.”

PUNCH Metro learnt that the masquerader, who sustained serious burns, was rushed to a hospital, where he died on Monday.

The state police spokesman, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the information was not brought to him.