Man burns inside masquerade costume while pulling stunt during Anambra festival


An unidentified man has burnt to death in a masquerade costume in Anambra State, while trying to pull a stunt.

It was gathered that the incident happened at Ogbunike, during the Eli’m Ede’ Cultural Festival, which was held on Saturday.

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

An eyewitness said the masquerade attendants while leading the masquerade to Amawa square, had pulled a fire stunt in front of the masquerade, which was sitting on the ground, but immediately extinguished it.

“Unknown to the attendants, the fire had entered the raffia costume worn by the masquerade, and before they could put it off, it spread all over the body of the masquerade, causing the man serious burns,” he said.

It was learnt that the man, who sustained serious burns, was rushed to the hospital, where he gave up the ghost on Sunday evening.