Palliatives: Two Nasarawa varsity students die in stampede

Two female students of Nasarawa State University, Keffi, have died in a stampede at the university’s convocation square on Friday.

The convocation square was the venue for the distribution of palliatives to the students by the Nasarawa State Government.

A source within the university told PUNCH Online that two female students have been confirmed dead as a result of the stampede which left others with injuries.

“What we are hearing now is that two female students have died. They were declared dead by the healthcare workers at the university,” the source said.

Confirming the incident, the National President of the Nasarawa State Students Association, Yunusa Baduku, told PUNCH Online that most of the students involved in the stampede had been rushed to hospitals in the area for medical attention.

He said, “Seriously, what happened this morning at the Nasarawa State University, Keffi, is uncalled for, and very pathetic.

“After our arrangement for the distribution of palliatives to the students which was to hold at the University’s convocation square, they (students) suddenly arrived at the venue in their numbers and overpowered the security.

“They broke through the gate into the Convocation square where the bags of rice were to be shared.

“Unfortunately, most of our female students sustained several degrees of injuries, while others got suffocated because of the population at the venue for the distribution of the palliatives.

“Right now, I am at the Federal Medical Centre Keffi, where we brought some of our students for emergency treatment.

“Also, as National President of NASA, I got an official report that one student has died as a result of the unfortunate incident.

“For the numbers of those injured, I cannot confirm that at the moment because some of them are at the school’s clinic while others are here at the FMC, Keffi receiving treatment.”

Baduku commended the university’s management, student leaders and representatives of the state government for their prompt action in assisting the students to get quick medical attention.

The State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, had recently distributed two 7.5 kg bags of rice and N5,000 to each student of the Federal University of Lafia, Isa Mustapha Agwai Polytechnic, Lafia, and the College of Education, Akwanga.

PUNCH