The Vice Chancellor of Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Prof. Suleiman Bala-Mohammed, has attributed Friday’s stampede that killed two students and left 14 others injured to impatience on the part of the students.
News report explains that the stampede occurred when the students, along with some hoodlums in the neighbourhood, swooped on bags of rice donated by the state government to mitigate the current economic hardship.
The consignment had been kept at the institution’s convocation square with the governor expected to commence distribution Friday morning.
The governor was being awaited when the students and the hoodlums overpowered the security men at the gate, poured into the square and started looting the bags of rice.
In the stampede, many were trampled upon, resulting in the casualties.
Reacting to the incident, Bala-Mohammed said the students were not patient enough for the orderly sharing of the rice.
“The gesture of the state government was supposed to be a relief for the students given the hardship across the country, unfortunately the students were not patient enough to follow the process of accessing the palliatives.
“There was a stampede. So many of the students got injured. Two students lost their lives.
“What happened has hurt our reputation, our image and created a bad name for us. We will not accept that. An investigation will take place and, hopefully, we will have all the facts and information.
“For now, our thoughts and prayers are with our two deceased students and their families, members of the university community as well as those who were injured,” he said.
Bala-Mohammed, who called on other students to go about their academic activities, maintain peace and follow regulations, warned that anything short of that will be an invitation to trouble.