UNN Confirms Death of Four Students in Hostel Party, Says Six Still Hospitalised

The University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), has confirmed the death of four students following an off-campus gathering in the university community, while six others remain hospitalised.

The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Simon Ortuanya, disclosed this on Thursday, November 12, while addressing journalists on the incident at Praise Lodge in the Hilltop area of Nsukka, Enugu State.

According to him, 10 students attended the gathering, which was organised to celebrate a friend who had completed his final-year examinations. Four of the participants died, while the remaining six were taken to different hospitals for treatment.

Ortuanya said the university received a distress call at about 10pm on Wednesday, November 11, prompting its security personnel to visit the location.

He explained that preliminary findings suggested the deceased might have consumed substances suspected to include alcohol and drugs. However, he said the actual cause of the deaths was yet to be established.

The university is working with security agencies to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The Enugu State Police Command also confirmed that it had commenced an investigation. Police spokesperson, Daniel Ndukwe, said alcoholic beverages were recovered from the scene, while the bodies of the deceased had been deposited in a mortuary for autopsy.

The university management subsequently declared three days of mourning in honour of the deceased students.

During the mourning period, all academic and social activities across the institution will be suspended.

The Vice-Chancellor described the incident as a tragic loss, extending condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of the deceased.

He also clarified that the victims came from different departments, dismissing reports suggesting that all those involved were students of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences.

The development followed widespread reports on social media linking the incident to a sign-out celebration by graduating Pharmacy students. The university’s Pharmaceutical Association had earlier cautioned against spreading unverified information about the identities of the victims.

Ortuanya reiterated the university’s ban on sign-out celebrations, urging students to avoid activities that could endanger their lives.

The institution also postponed a scheduled town hall meeting with Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, following the tragedy.

Investigations are ongoing to determine the precise circumstances and cause of the deaths.