Enugu Records Double Tragedy As State Records First Covid-19 Case, Gunmen kill many in Burial Ceremony
By Benard EJEM
It was double tragedy in Enugu State the state confirmed the first suspected COVID-19 case in the state, while a yet to be identified gunmen stormed a funeral ceremony in the state and many mourners were feared dead.
According to an eyewitness, the gunmen stormed Affa Community in Udi Local Government Area as mourners and sympathisers were in the middle of the burial of a prominent member of the community, one Chief Simon Okafor.
An eyewitness who identified himself as Chukwuma Onowu, told our correspondent that trouble started when a well known political thug and his group confronted, Nnaemeka, the first son of late Chief Okafor over the funeral rites for the late chief.
According to Onowu, Mr. Nnaemeka Okafor had insisted that his late father was a converted Christian who should be buried by the church in line with christian burial rites instead of the traditional Ogunamen rites.
It was learnt that the argument degenerated and suddenly multiple gunshot were heard and mourners scampered for safety.
Local vigilante operatives later arrived but it was learnt that several people were lying in the pool of their blood. At press time, it could not be confirmed the number of casualties. Police has since restored normalcy in the town while the funeral ceremony was also put off.
In another development, Enugu State Government has confirmed the first possible COVID-19 case in the state. Earlier in Enugu, the Permanent Secretary of the state ministry, Dr. Ifeanyi Agujiobi told journalists that “It is not a case yet. It is still a suspect. We are waiting for the result. The person is isolated and being monitored. We are awaiting the result and we pray that it is not.”
The Permanent Secretary stated that if the suspect is eventually confirmed to be carrying the virus, the state will swing into action to trace all persons that have she had had contact with,
According to him, “be by the time we get the result and it is positive. You will now begin to list the contacts from where she had the first contact, on her way, from the time she travelled, from where she was coming to Nigeria. However, arrangement for that is taking place.”
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