Falana seeks compensation, blames “official negligence” for deaths
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Human rights fighter Femi Falana, SAN has blamed official negligence for the death of three students of Nasarawa State University who died in a stampede that broke out in the jostle for 7.5 kg bags of rice the state government donated to the school.
He asked the authorities to compensate the bereaved families.
Two days after the incident in the North West, seven people were also trampled to death as they tried to get their share from food almsgiving at Shafa Holdings Company on Jos Road in Bauchi in the North East.
“Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nassarawa State was reported to have ordered the distribution of two 7.5 kg bags of rice and N5,000 to each student of the State University at Keffi,” Falana said in a statement.
“The distribution of the palliative was scheduled to hold at the state university’s convocation square last Friday morning. As the distribution exercise was not well organised, there was a stampede of thousands of students at the venue. The stampede led to tragedy as many students were injured.
“As the university health centre was ill-equipped to treat the injured students, they were rushed to the Federal Medical Centre in Keffi, Nasarawa State.
“As the injured students were not promptly attended to, two female students were pronounced dead while at least 17 others were left with varying degrees of injuries arising from suffocation at the venue of the distribution of rice.
“Our thoughts and condolences go to the families and friends of the deceased students.
“According to the state government, the tragic incident occurred ‘when suspected hoodlums and some misguided students forced their way into the school’s convocation ground to cart away the rice kept at the venue meant for distribution as palliatives to students.’
“But the Vice-chancellor of the University, Prof Suleiman Bala, decided to blame the tragedy on the victims of the official negligence. He was reported to have said that ‘our students were not patient enough to follow the process of accessing these palliatives.’
Varsity authorities fail to draw any lesson from incident
Falana, the Chair og Alliance on Surviving Covid 19 and Beyond (ASCAB\0, described the deaths as unfortunate, stressing the university authorities failed to draw any lesson from the stampede.
“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,” he said.
“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.
“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.”
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