UNN reports deaths of four students at party

The University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) in Enugu State has confirmed that four of its students died after a party at a lodge in the Hill Top Area of Nsukka.

The Vice-Chancellor, Simon Ortuanya, shared the news with reporters at the university on Thursday.

The institution posted a video on its Facebook page showing the vice-chancellor speaking to the media.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that the four students were found dead in the lodge on Wednesday.

How it happened

While talking to reporters, Mr Ortuanya, a professor, said the university got a distress call around 10 p.m. on Wednesday. The call said some current and former students were in "crisis," which led the university’s security to respond.

“Arriving at the scene, we discovered that there was a house party in a lodge called Praise Lord outside the university, precisely around the Hilltop Community near the University of Nigeria, Nsukka campus.

“It was found that four patients died immediately. Six other patients were rushed to hospitals and are receiving treatment at the moment,” he said. Some of those in the hospital are still in critical condition.

The vice-chancellor expressed his sympathy to the families of the deceased.

“It is indeed tragic and painful. We mourn with the families, the parents who have suffered these years to train these young men and women in their studies,” he said.

Reports say the students had recently graduated from the institution and organized the party as part of their celebration.

Mr Ortuanya did not provide the victims’ names or confirm their departments at the university.

The vice-chancellor criticized sign-off ceremonies, noting that the university has banned them on all its campuses.

“As a community, we have always insisted that the sign-off ceremony is not really a desirable thing. We feel that graduation is a moment of reflection.

“A moment when these graduates will think deeply about the four, five or the six years that they have spent in the university.

“And again preparing their minds about what they are going to face in the outside world,” he said.

“To that extent, we have always aligned ourselves that the sign-off ceremonies should not take place on our campuses.”

Alcohol and drug abuse

Mr Ortuanya stressed that preliminary investigations are still ongoing. The university management is working with security operatives and other relevant bodies to find out the cause of the students’ deaths.

The vice-chancellor added that early findings suggest the students’ deaths may be linked to drug and alcohol abuse.

“The preliminary investigation and interim report point to alleged alcohol abuse or drug paraphernalia and things like that. But we are not conclusive on those matters,” he stated.

Three-day mourning period

Mr Ortuanya then announced a three-day mourning period at the university for the students who died.

“During these three days, all social and academic activities are hereby suspended.

“We will not hold any lectures, social activities or ceremonies within these three days,” he added.

The vice-chancellor noted that this situation forced the university to cancel a planned town hall meeting on Friday between the university and Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah.

“This town hall meeting will be rescheduled for a later date.

“We want to thank Governor Mbah for his understanding and respect. We urge our university community to remain calm, to stay prayerful and to wait for the investigation and not to speculate because of this.”