At least two female students of the Nasarawa State University Keffi (NSUK) have been pronounced dead by medical experts, following a stampede at the school’s convocation square during distribution of palliatives by the state government.
The deceased students were among those who trooped to the venue of the distribution so as to benefit from the over 2,000 bags of rice provided by the government.
One of the deceased students was identified as Grace Enupe from Mararaba axis of the state.
Meanwhile, medical experts at the Federal Medical Center, Keffi, were still battling to save lives of other students that were rushed into the facility by their colleagues on Friday after the stampede.
In a video received by The Guild, the lifeless bodies of the students were on the hospital floor.while others that sustained varying degrees of injuries were also seen writhing in pains.
An eye witness said: “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”.
Some students disclosed that over four students have been certified to have died during the stampede that occurred inside the school.
The incident occurred barely four days after the State Governor, Abdullahi Sule flagged off the distribution of two bags of 7.5kg rice and ₦5,000 each as palliative to students in tertiary institutions.
Confirming the incident, the National President of the Nasarawa State Students Association, Yunusa Yusuf Baduku, said most of the students affected during the stampede have been rushed to hospitals in the area for medical attention.
According to him, “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 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 Center, 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, however, appreciated 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.
“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.
