Two female students of Nasarawa State University, Keffi, have died following a stampede that reportedly occurred at the institution’s convocation square on Friday.
Nasarawa State government had chosen the convocation square as the venue for the distribution of palliatives to the students.
“What we are hearing now is that two female students have died. They were said to have been suffocated because of the crowd and they were later declared dead by the healthcare workers,” a witness said as quoted by the PUNCH.
The incident has been confirmed by the National President of the Nasarawa State Students Association, Yunusa Baduku who said most of the students involved in the stampede have been rushed to hospitals in the area for medical attention.
“Seriously, what happened this morning at the Nasarawa State University, Keffi, is uncalled for, and very pathetic,” he said.
“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 was 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 Centrw 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.”
“I want to commend the school management, the student leaders and even the state government for standing by us at a time like this. They are all doing their best to address the situation, and to ensure that normalcy returns to the school environment,” he said.