Nasarawa Stampede: PDP, Students, parents, others flay government over students’ death ***The incident is regrettable, hoodlums triggers stampede —Govt

By David Okpashi

As anger, dissatisfaction and economic hardship steers the faces of Nasarawa residents over the unfortunate incident yesterday, the opposition People’s Democratic party (PDP) has blamed the sudden death of some students of Nasarawa state University Keffi on poor arrangements for the distribution of the palliative.

The party in a one-page statement issued and signed by its Chairman, Francis Orogu criticized the administration of governor Abdullahi Sule over what it described as insensitive to the plight of the citizenry.

According to the statement, “people’s Democratic Party PDP in Nasarawa state yesterday received with shock and grief the death of some students of the Nasarawa state University, Keffi steming from the stampede that occurred in the institution.

PDP did not only see the incident as unfortunate but unneccessary considering the fact that this avoidable incident would have been averted if proactive measures were taken by the authorities concerned to check abuse that could lead to unfortunate outcomes like the untimely demise of these students”.

The statement wondered why the authority concerned would embark on a distribution of parliative to a university community in the manner it did when there are well structured platforms such as departments, union and religious groups that would have handled this in an ordely manner.

“While grieving over the needless death of our dear students and others who sustained various degrees of injuries, our party, the PDP wishes to extend its sincere and heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased students while praying for the quick recovery of others reportedly injured”.

“Yesterday’s Friday was a black and bleak one for us all as we woke up to the dreadful news of the unwarranted death of our leaders and custodians of our tomorrow (students) on account of distribution of parliative which we see as welcome development in the face of the scarring in the State.

“We are concerned and worried why the students should be subjected and made to meet their unfortunate and untimely death when there are well structured channels of reaching out to the students through enhanced scholarship, remittances to their banks in a university environment such as ours”.

“As a party , we join all well-meaning Nigerians, families, Nasarawa state University, Keffi Community, and the entire people of Nasarawa state to mourn and express our profound grief over the needless death of our dear students”,

“We extend our profound condolences to the families of these students who by no fault of theirs were made to end their existence on earth as a result of hardship and bad policies.

“This incident, once again, demonstrates the dangers faced by our people. As a state, we must constantly remain proactive, committed to the yearnings and aspirations of our people, keep our state and the institutions of learning safe and secured for the benefit of all”, the statement added.

Meanwhile, Governor Abdullahi Sule has expressed shock over the news of the stampede at the State University, Keffi which claimed lives of some students.

The governor described the incident as a misfortune which happened hours before the scheduled official flag off of palliatives distribution same morning was unfortunate.

The governor in a statement by Ibrahim Addra, the Chief Press Secretary, said Governor Sule deeply regrets the tragic death of two students of the institution in this needless stampede motivated by crime.

“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 circumstance is painful,” he quoted to have said.

“The Governor urges for calm while insisting that the Nasarawa State Government under his leadership will not be distracted but continue with the distribution of palliatives towards ameliorating the hardship face by students and the people of the state in general,” it said.

In the same vein, a 400 level Mass Communication student of the instruction who spoke on account of anamity, blamed the incident on the government’s failure to put appropriate machinery in place ahead of the distribution of the palliative.

“We were told that rice and money would be shared on Friday; so about 4:00am, students had already gathered at the convocation square.

“News started filtering in that the distribution will now be done on slots at the departmental and faculty levels and attention would be given to some tribal association. That was how students were triggered and they started forcing their way into the convocation square where the rice was kept. The security operatives could not control them any more and then the incident happened.

“The arrangements and modalities put in place to share the palliative were not in order and that was why we experienced what happened,” the student said.

A community leader in Keffi, Audu Bala described the painful death of some students of the institution as unfortunate and avoidable.

“I expected our government to understand much better. People are really hungry and angry. You keep food before an angry man or woman and then you are telling him stories.

“Nobody should blame the actions of the students except if you have not been hungry before. What happened at NSUK yesterday should be a lesson and warning to our leaders.”