Tragic Death of University Students: Falana Holds Nasarawa State Officials Responsible, Cites Negligence

By Akinwale Kasali

Human Rights Lawyer and Senior Advocate Of Nigeria, SAN, Femi Falana, has said that the death of the Students of Nasarawa State University in a stampede,  was due to the negligence of the Nasarawa State Government.

Falana described the death of the students as unfortunate, noting 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.

It would be recalled that Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nassarawa State had ordered the distribution of two 7.5 kg bags of rice and N5,000 to each student of the State University at Keffi. But the failure of the Officials to coordinate the process triggered a stampede which led to the death of four students last week.

Falana faulted the failure of the those in charge to properly organize the distribution exercise and the poor University Health Centre which was ill- equipped, and was unable to attend to the injured Students who were transferred to the Federal Medical Center, Keffi, where they lost their lives. Over 17 others were left with varying degrees of injuries arising from suffocation at the venue of the distribution of rice.

In a statement by Falana over the unfortunate incident, he said: “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.”

Falana, however, said, 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.

He said: “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.”