Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has expressed his condolences to the families and management of Nasarawa State University, Keffi, over the tragic deaths of students during a stampede on Friday.
The incident occurred when some students and suspected hoodlums rushed the Convocation Square at the university and looted rice meant for distribution as palliatives, leading to the deaths of two students.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Ibrahim Addra, Governor Sule described the news of the stampede as shocking, especially just hours before the scheduled flag-off of the distribution exercise.
The statement explained that the unfortunate incident happened when suspected hoodlums and some misguided students forced their way into the school’s convocation ground to steal the rice meant for distribution as palliatives to students.
Governor Sule expressed his sympathy to the families of the deceased students and the university management, noting that the distribution of rice and N5,000 cash to students in all tertiary institutions in the state was aimed at easing economic hardship.
The governor’s spokesman highlighted that the distribution exercise had been successful and peaceful in all other tertiary institutions in the state, including the Federal University of Lafia, Isa Mustapha Agwai Polytechnic Lafia, and others, except for the unfortunate incident at Nasarawa State University.
He lamented the loss of lives in what he described as a “needless stampede motivated by crime,” noting that the distribution was carried out peacefully in other institutions in the state.
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