Palliative Stampede: Nasarawa governor condoles families, varsity over students’ death

Gov. Abdullahi Sule has expressed deep regret over the tragic death of two students of Nasarawa State University Keffi (NSUK), following a stampede on Friday.

Two students of the university died from a stampede when some students and suspected hoodlums thronged the convocation square at the institution and looted rice meant for distribution as palliatives to students.

Sule, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Ibrahim Addra, and made available to newsmen in Lafia, condoled with the families of the deceased students, the injured, and the management of the university over the sad incident.

According to the statement, the news of the stampede came as a rude shock to the governor, a few hours after the flag-off of the distribution exercise.

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“The sad incident occurred when suspected hoodlums and some misguided students forced their way into the school’s convocation ground to cart away the rice kept at the venue meant for distribution as palliatives to students,” it said.

It further stated that Gov. Sule had come up with the widely applauded initiative to distribute rice and N5,000 cash to students in all tertiary institutions in the state to cushion the economic hardship.

He noted that the distribution had been successful and peaceful in all other tertiary institutions in the state and wondered why it was different at the state university.

“Similar exercise was carried out at the Federal University of Lafia, Isa Mustapha Agwai Polytechnic Lafia, College of Agriculture, Science and Technology, Lafia, School of Nursing Lafia as well as the College of Education Akwanga.

“It was also done peacefully at the Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa and the College of Health Technology Keffi.

“It’s unfortunate that the lives of the young students were cut short in a needless stampede motivated by crime,” he said.

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The statement further said that the governor had directed the management of the institution and the security agencies to investigate to unravel the immediate and remote cause of the incident.

“Those found to be involved in any way will be apprehended and prosecuted accordingly,” it added.

The statement, however, called on the people to remain calm as the government would continue in its effort to ameliorate the hardship being faced by the students and other vulnerable groups.

(NAN)