The management of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), has confirmed the death of four students following an off-campus party, saying six others are receiving treatment in hospital.
Recall that the four students
died following a suspected hard drug overdose at a party held at their
apartment in End in Praise Lodge, Hilltop area of Nsukka, the university’s host
community.
Onah Olisaemeka, president of the UNN chapter of the
Pharmaceutical Association of Nigerian Students (PANS), and Obasi Chibuike, the
association’s secretary, confirmed the incident in a statement but said the
victims were not pharmacy students, contrary to reports.
Addressing journalists on the university campus, Simon
Ortunaya, vice-chancellor of UNN, said 10 students were involved in the
incident, which occurred on Wednesday.
Ortunaya said four died at the scene, while the other six
were taken to hospital, where they are receiving treatment.
The vice-chancellor said the university received a distress
call at about 10pm on November 11 and immediately deployed its security
personnel to the lodge where the party was held.
“About 10pm on the 11th, the university got a distress call
that some of our students and those that have graduated had crisis,” he said.
“And the security immediately moved into action and on
arriving at the scene, discovered that there was a house party in a lodge
called Praise Lot lodge outside the university precisely around the Hilltop
community in the peripheral of the University of Nigeria Nsukka campus.
“It was discovered that four people died immediately, six
other persons are presently in the hospital as they were rushed to hospital and
they are receiving treatment at the moment.”
The vice-chancellor extended the university’s condolences to
the families and friends of the deceased, describing the incident as tragic and
painful.
He said the university shared in the grief of parents who
had made sacrifices to educate their children.
Ortunaya said the incident was a reminder of the fragility
of life, adding that the university had consistently discouraged graduation and
sign-out parties.
“We feel that graduation is a moment of introspection,” he
said.
“A moment when the graduates will think deeply about the
four years, five years or six years that they have spent at the university and
prepare their mind about what they are going to face in the outside world.”
In a statement posted on its Facebook page, the university said the students had organised the party to celebrate one of their friends who had completed his final-year examination.
It confirmed that the four students died after consuming
substances suspected to be alcohol and drugs, while the remaining six were at
various stages of recovery.
The university declared three days of mourning for the
deceased students, during which all social and academic activities would be
suspended.
Ortunaya described the incident as “a death too many” and
extended the university’s condolences to the families, friends and colleagues
of the deceased.
He also suspended a town-hall meeting earlier scheduled
between the university community and the Enugu state governor.
The vice-chancellor said the university was cooperating with
security agencies to establish the actual cause of the students’ deaths.
He reiterated the ban on sign-out celebrations and urged
students to avoid activities that could endanger their lives.
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