Shuaibu Usman
Nasarawa State Government said it has received with shock the news of the palliatives distribution stampede which occurred today, Friday, in the early hours.
A statement signed by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Ibrahim Addra, said “The sad incident is reported to have 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.
“Governor Sule deeply regrets the tragic death of two students of the institution in this needless stampede motivated by crime.
“Governor Sule said he has directed the authorities of the Nasarawa State University, Keffi and security agencies to commence immediate investigation into the unfortunate incident that a view to unveiling those behind it.
“Those found to be involved in anyway will be apprehended and prosecuted accordingly” he added.
Investigations by Nasarawa Newsline has revealed that the deceased two female students of the varsity have been identified as Rose Michael, 200 level, from Psychology Department and Grace Danladi, 200 level student of Computer Science all from Karu and Nasarawa Local Government Areas respectively.
It was learnt that the two female students have been confirmed dead due to the stampede which left others with various degrees of injuries.
The palliatives distribution has been a huge success in other institutions across the state as it was targeted at ameliorating their sufferings. A cause initiated by the state government to provide succor to the students studying in various institutions in the state.
Factional National President of the Nasarawa State Students Association, Yunusa Baduku, said he was aware of the incident, confirming that most of the students involved in the stampede had been rushed to hospitals in the area for medical prompt attention
Baduku urged for calm from students, insisting that actions must be taken to ensure that the culprits are brought to book.
He attributed the unfortunate incident to impatience on the part of students, stating that the Nasarawa State Government had designed a seamless distribution mode.
Findings further revealed that the distribution of food palliatives to the students was scheduled to hold at the University’s convocation square.
However, some rumors of favouritism in the allocation of the access card instigated students to arrive in the early hours in their large numbers overpowering security agents to loot the intended palliatives.
Other sources have it that the unprecedented crowd to loot the palliatives assembled for distribution was unusual of the varsity, adding that many of the looters are not students of the institution.
A fact-finding team has already been dispatched led by the Deputy Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Akabe, to unravel the actual cause of the unfortunate incident for further actions.
However, speaking with some students leaders in the University who spoke on the condition of anonymity, informed Nasarawa Newsline that the Keffi varsity issue was different from other institutions which recorded successes due to poor arrangement and corruption in the process of allocation of cards and deployment of security agencies, alleging that the Humanitarian Affairs ministry and the Management of the University failed to do their homework as expected in the institution.
Commenting, the University’s Information and Protocol Officer, Dr. Abraham Ekpo, said the University was not involved in designing the mode of distribution of the palliatives as it was coordinated by the ministry in charge, maintaining that the University was only to provide security for the exercise to take place.
He confirmed that 23 persons survived various degrees of injuries, one has been discharged and others are in stable condition.
Efforts to enquire from the Humanitarian Affairs commissioner in the state, Margaret Elayo, as at the time of filing this report, were abortive as calls and texts sent to her were not yet responded to.
Governor Sule has been on a palliatives distribution tour across the state’s tertiary institutions. An initiative, he said, was to ameliorate the hardship being experienced across the nation.
The governor was showered encomiums across the country for pioneering the students palliatives distribution initiative as politicians, traditional rulers and religious leaders lauded his continual effort to manage the economic hardship situation.