Three persons, yesterday, escaped death by the whiskers as gunmen set their security van conveying huge cash ablaze at the notorious Nkpor Junction Round about, Onisha, Anambra State.

It was gathered that the gunmen trailed the security van carrying a revolver light from Umuoji road to the scene of the incident.

According to eyewitnesses, the driver of the burnt security van noticed that the gunmen were trailing them and he quickly parked the vehicle, told the other two occupants that he was going to buy something.

It was gathered that as soon as the driver crossed to the other side of the road, the gunmen arrived in a convoy of about three brand new SUVs and started shooting sporadically.

The eyewitnesses added that the two other occupants of the vehicle ran into a nearby supermarket where they took refuge.

The gunmen allegedly opened fire on the vehicle until it caught fire and burnt to ashes with the cash inside it before they drove off, asking the petty traders within the area to come out from their hidings and continue with their normal trading.

At press time, it was not yet clear whether the driver of the burnt security van and two other occupants were policemen or not as speculated by eyewitnesses.

Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, told newsmen on phone that he was not yet away of the incident. (Vanguard)