Human rights activist Femi Falana has blamed “official negligence” on the part of the Nasarawa State University for the avoidable deaths of two students during a palliative distribution stampede in the school.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria, in a statement on Sunday, called for an investigation into the circumstances that led to the deaths of the two students and demanded compensation for the families of the victims.
Governor Abdullahi Sule had reportedly ordered the distribution of two 7.5 kg bags of rice and N5,000 to each student of the state university in Keffi, the state capital.
Two students — Grace Danladi and Rose Micheal — died in last Friday’s unfortunate incident, while others were injured during the stampede ahead of the distribution of palliatives to students of the school.
Falana said the distribution exercise was not well organised, hence the avoidable tragedy.
He commiserated with the families and friends of the deceased students but knocked the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof Suleiman Bala who reportedly blamed the tragedy on the victims’ impatience.
“It is unfortunate that the authorities of the University failed to draw any lesson from the recent stampede which claimed the lives of seven persons during the distribution of 25kg bags of rice in Lagos by the Nigeria Customs Service. No doubt, the tragedy would have been averted if the University management had distributed the 7 kg bags of rice to the students through their departments.
“Indeed, there was no justification to have assembled thousands of students without a standby ambulance. As if that was not enough, the university health centre was not equipped to attend to the injured students. Hence, they were rushed to the Federal Medical Centre in Keffi where two female students were certified dead.
“Having regard to the facts and circumstances of the tragic incident, the Nassarawa State police command should be directed to investigate the allegations of criminal negligence which led to the unfortunate death of the two students.
“The culprits should be prosecuted without delay. In view of the official statement that hoodlums hijacked the distribution exercise the state government and the university management are required by law to compensate the bereaved families of the two students,” he said.
