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Four students of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), have died following an off-campus house party organised to celebrate a friend’s completion of final-year examinations.
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Six other students who attended the November 11 gathering are receiving treatment in hospitals after reportedly consuming substances suspected to be alcohol and drugs.
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The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Simon Ortuanya, has declared three days of mourning and ordered the suspension of all social and academic activities across the university.
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UNN has postponed a scheduled town hall meeting with the Enugu State Governor, reiterated its ban on sign-out celebrations and is working with security agencies to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
November 12, (THEWILL) – The University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Enugu State, has declared three days of mourning and suspended all social and academic activities following the deaths of four students at an off-campus house party in Nsukka.
The students reportedly died after consuming substances suspected to be alcohol and drugs during a gathering organised to celebrate one of their friends who had completed his final-year examinations.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Simon Ortuanya, announced the decisions on Thursday while briefing journalists on the incident, which occurred on Wednesday, November 11.
Ortuanya disclosed that 10 students of the university were involved in the incident, with four of them dying and the remaining six hospitalised for medical treatment.
He said the gathering was organised by the students to celebrate the completion of a friend’s final-year examinations but ended in tragedy after some of the participants reportedly consumed the suspected substances.
“They organised the party to celebrate one of their friends who concluded his final-year examination. Unfortunately, four of them died after consuming substances suspected to be alcohol and drugs, while the remaining six are currently at various stages of recuperation in the hospital”, the Vice-Chancellor said.
Announcing the mourning period, Ortuanya said the university had resolved to suspend all social and academic activities for three days in honour of the deceased.
“The university hereby declares a three-day mourning period for the deceased students. Within these three days, all social and academic activities will be suspended in the university”, he added.
The Vice-Chancellor also announced the postponement of a town hall meeting earlier scheduled between the university community and the Governor of Enugu State, citing the tragic loss of the students.
Describing the incident as “a death too many”, Ortuanya said the university could not proceed with the scheduled engagement in the circumstances. He extended the institution’s condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of the deceased, assuring them of the university’s solidarity during the difficult period.
“UNN shares in their grief at this difficult moment and prays for the repose of the souls of the departed”, he stated.
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Victims Cut Across Different Departments
The Vice-Chancellor also clarified reports concerning the academic backgrounds of the students involved, saying they were drawn from different departments of the university.
He dismissed widespread speculation that the students involved in the incident were exclusively from the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences.
The clarification followed reports linking the tragedy specifically to students of the faculty.
Although the university did not immediately disclose the identities of the deceased, Ortuanya confirmed that its management was cooperating with security agencies to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and determine the actual cause of the deaths.
“The university is cooperating with security agencies to unravel the actual cause of death of the four students”, he said.
UNN Reiterates Ban On Sign-Out Celebrations
Against the backdrop of the tragedy, the Vice-Chancellor reiterated the university’s existing ban on all forms of sign-out celebrations, urging students to comply with institutional regulations and avoid activities that could endanger their lives.
Sign-out celebrations are informal gatherings organised by students, particularly final-year students, to mark the completion of their academic programmes or examinations.
The November 11 gathering was reportedly organised to celebrate one of the students who had completed his final-year examinations before the party ended with four deaths and six other students requiring hospital treatment.
Ortuanya urged students to desist from activities involving the consumption of potentially dangerous substances and to conduct themselves responsibly within and outside the university community.
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