Not less than three female students of Nasarawa State University, Keffi, are feared dead after a stampede at the university’s convocation square on Friday.
The incident happened during the distribution of palliatives to the students.
Several other students reportedly sustained varying degrees of injury as a result of the stampede.
The National President of the Nasarawa State Students Association, Yunusa Baduku, who confirmed the incident to journalists, described it as horrible.
Baduku said that all the students involved in the stampede had been taken to hospitals for medical attention.
“Seriously, what happened this morning at the Nasarawa State University, Keffi is uncalled for, and very pathetic,” he said. “After we arranged for the distribution of palliatives to the students which was to be held at the University’s convocation square, they (students) suddenly arrived at the venue in their numbers and overpowered the security.”
Giving a detailed explanation, he said: “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.”
He added, “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, however, commended the school management, student leaders, and representatives of the state government for their prompt action in assisting the students to get quick medical attention.
The apex Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, recently advised President Bola Tinubu to urgently fix the country’s economy, lamenting that Nigeria had become the hunger capital of the world.
Afenifere also told the president that it was time for him to demonstrate the political will to go after the terrorists wreaking havoc in the country, especially in northern Nigeria.
“The Nigerian naira plunged to its lowest point on record in official trading as a shortage of US dollars persisted despite promises by the government to boost supply, lamented the Yoruba apex body,” a statement by Afenifere said, adding, “Our people are dying due to hunger.”
“Nigeria has become the hunger capital of the world. How are the people, so impoverished be saddled with paying ransom to kidnappers right in the middle of possibly the biggest humanitarian crisis in the world that even Ukraine a country at war with Russia lasting two years and still counting, is now the one to be sending humanitarian aid to Nigeria!?”
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