The state government had initiated the distribution of palliatives to students across the state.
“What we are hearing now is that two female students have died. They were said to have been suffocated because of the crowd and they were later declared dead by the healthcare workers,” the source told PUNCH Online.
However, on Friday, at the NSUK convocation square – the venue for the distribution, two female students were reported dead due to suffocation in the crowd and some others were left with varying degrees of injuries.
The governor, in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Ibrahim Addra, expressed sadness over the deaths of the students.
He said, “ I pray their souls rest in peace. Our thoughts and condolences go to their families and friends at this moment of grief.
“These young people’s lives cut short at their prime under such circumstances is painful.
”The governor has since directed the authorities of the Nasarawa State University, Keffi and security agencies to commence an immediate investigation into the unfortunate occurrence to unveil those behind it.”
The state deputy governor, Dr. Emmanuel Akabe, also visited those who sustained injuries.
”Engr. Sule had come up with the widely applauded initiative to distribute rice and N5,000 cash each to students in all tertiary institutions in the state,
”Such distribution was a huge success and peacefully carried out by Federal University, Lafia, Isa Mustapha Agwai Polytechnic, Lafia, College of Agriculture, Science and Technology, Lafia, the School of Nursing, Lafia as well as the College of Education, Akwanga.
”Others are the Federal Polytechnic, Nassarawa and the College of Health Technology, Keffi,” the statement added.
