Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has regretted the deaths of two students of the Nasarawa State University during a palliative distribution stampede in the school.
The governor, who was a guest on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, said the sad incident was not as a result of negligence or poor planning on the part of the government.
“It’s not something that happened on the part of negligence by government,” Sule faulted to a claim by human rights activist Femi Falana who blamed the deaths of the two students on “official negligence”.
The governor had reportedly ordered the distribution of two 7.5 kg bags of rice and N5,000 to each student of the state university in Keffi, the state capital.
Two students — Grace Danladi and Rose Micheal — died in last Friday’s unfortunate incident, while others were injured during the stampede ahead of the distribution of palliatives to students of the school.
Falana subsequently said the distribution exercise was not well-organised, hence the avoidable tragedy, and demanded compensation for the families of the victims.
However, Sule said, “It’s very unfortunate that it happened but it had nothing to do with any planning, it has nothing to do with any negligence. We have been to eight places. It was the last place, which would have been the ninth institution that we went. So, all these other places that we went, everything went so smooth.”
According to him, the stampede was not because of planning but some students thought that their names were being replaced by the Students’ Union Government of the institution, hence, the anxiety.
“We are very sad that two students died. We are talking with the families. So, for somebody to politicise it? It’s unfortunate that we are in a country where everybody looks at a tragedy and politicise it.
“During the process, they (students), overpowered the security and God so kind, the security did not open fire on anybody. So, it’s not like anybody was shot.
“It was during the stampede that happened, may be, these two students fell and other students marched on them. So, who are you going to look for compensation from? The students or the management of the university.”
The governor said his deputy and commissioners had paid condolence visits to the families of the two deceased students.
“We are going to support the family with some form of assistance but I am not going to use the word, ‘compensation’ because it’s not something that happened on the part of negligence by government,” Sule stated.
