The University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), has confirmed the deaths of four students following an off-campus gathering in Nsukka, Enugu State, and declared three days of mourning in their honour.
The Vice Chancellor, Professor Simon Ortuanya, confirmed the incident while addressing journalists on Thursday, a day after the gathering reportedly took place.
According to the Vice Chancellor, 10 students attended the party organised to celebrate a friend who had completed his final-year examinations. Four of the students subsequently died after reportedly consuming substances suspected to be alcohol and drugs, while the remaining six were receiving medical attention at different hospitals.
Describing the incident as a painful loss to the university community, Ortuanya said it was “a death too many” and announced a three-day mourning period during which academic and social activities would be suspended.
He also announced the suspension of a town hall meeting earlier scheduled between the university community and the Enugu State Governor, appreciating the governor for his understanding.
The Vice Chancellor extended the university’s condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of the deceased, assuring them that the institution shared in their grief.
He also dismissed reports suggesting that all the students involved were from the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, clarifying that they came from different departments across the university.
Ortuanya further reiterated the university’s ban on sign out celebrations, urging students to avoid activities that could put their lives at risk. He stressed that the completion of academic programmes should be a time for reflection rather than reckless celebrations.
The university management, he said, was working with security agencies to establish the actual circumstances surrounding the students’ deaths.
Written by Enitan Mudashiru
