Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has commiserated with families and the management of the Nasarawa State University, Keffi, over the death of students during a stampede on Friday.
DAILY POST had reported that two students of the university died on Friday when some students and suspected hoodlums thronged the Convocation Square at the institution and looted rice meant for distribution as palliatives.
Sule, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, CPS, Ibrahim Addra, and made available to newsmen in Lafia, condoled with the families of the deceased students and the management of the university over the incident.
According to the statement, the news of the stampede came as a shock to the governor, few hours to the flag off of the distribution exercise.
“The sad 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,” the statement explained.
It added that the governor plans to distribute rice and N5,000 cash to students in all tertiary institutions in the state to cushion the economic hardship.
The governor’s spokesman noted that the distribution had been successful and peaceful in all other tertiary institutions in the state and wondered why it was different at the state university.
“Similar exercise was carried out at the Federal University of Lafia, Isa Mustapha Agwai Polytechnic Lafia, College of Agriculture, Science and Technology, Lafia, School of Nursing Lafia as well as the College of Education Akwanga.
“It was also done peacefully at the Federal Polytechnic Nassarawa and the College of Health Technology Keffi.
“It’s unfortunate that the lives of the young students were cut short in a needless stampede motivated by crime,” he said