About 14 persons have sustained gunshot wounds following sporadic shooting by a bodyguard working for a businessman, Chief Vincent Udeobi on Wednesday during ‘Ede Opoto’ festival at Ifitedunu community in Dunukofia council area of Anambra State.

Daily Post reports that according to eyewitnesses, the guard whose name was simply given as Mungo Park, released some shots in the air, to scare away the crowd following his master who was said to be spraying money.

The gunshots, it was gathered, hit a gate and boomeranged, injuring about 14 persons in the process.

“He was spreading money but his security personnel were making efforts to stop the crowd following him. At a point, one of his armed thugs shot in the air. It hit the gate and boomeranged. It injured about 14 persons”, an eyewitness who pleaded anonymity said.

“They were rushed to Edozie Hospital and Maternity, Ifitedunu and Ndeli Hospital, Awkuzu for treatment. But the unfortunate thing is that the shooter has no licence to carry guns. They were using pump action rife” the witness added.

When journalists visited the hospitals in Ndeli Hospital, some of the victims were writhing in pains.

A 14-year-old boy, Pascal, who had a bullet in his heart, was waiting for operation.

They victims were also scared to speak to our reporter. It was later gathered that they were warned not to speak to the press.

All efforts to reach the businessman proved abortive as he neither picked his phone calls nor replied text message.

Contacted on telephone, Anambra police spokesperson, Mrs. Nkeiruka Nwude, said she would get back to reporters but has not done so as at the time of filing this report.