By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

A house of mourning was on Saturday turned to a house of fear and panic as mourners scampered for safety following the invasion of a burial ceremony by gunmen in Ezinifite, Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State.

Though no life was lost, it was gathered that the gunmen who came in seven Sienna vehicles smashed all the cars in the compound and took some away, while also set the building on fire before taking off.

According to an invited guest who was at the burial, the event ended abruptly after the men invaded the area, causing attendees and the mourners to flee into the bush for fear of their lives.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the gunmen stormed the burial ceremony when they gathered that the chief mourner, a very influential man in the area, who was holding a burial for his younger sister, decided to bring in police men and operatives of the Department of State Service (DSS) to provide security while the burial lasted.

Information has it that some elements in the area had stated openly that they would not tolerate security officials in their area.

The source said: “When information got to them (gunmen) that someone brought security men to the town, they mobilized themselves in seven Sienna vehicles and started shooting anyhow.

“The man who was burying his sister, and the security agents escaped. The men stayed there and shot for a very long time, and all the people who came for the burial ran for their lives; some entered into the bush and others ran into a nearby compound.

“They smashed all the cars in the compound and took some away, after they have set the house ablaze, but thank God, the house did not totally burn, as people came and quenched the fire when they had left.

“Many people who escaped into the bush slept there, and only came out in the morning. Me and many other people ran into a nearby compound, and they brought us out and told us they were not after us, but politicians and those who brought security to the area, and the security men too.

“If you see this people, they were very well armed. I almost thought I had died. I started crying for my mother, just imagining how my corpse would be taken to her. To the glory of God, nobody was killed, and no one was injured.”

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, could not be reached for his reaction as mobile number was not reachable.