Barely two weeks after about 19 persons died in stampedes in stadia across the country during recruitment exercise for employment into Nigerian Immigrations Service, there was heavy stampede Wednesday at the University of Benin (UNIBEN), during screening of fresh students.
It was gathered that scores of students sustained varying and “very serious” degrees of injuries in the stampede, just as one was rumored dead.
Eye witnesses said the stampede occurred when the students were attempting to force their way into the premises of the hall where the screening exercise was taking place, and UNIBEN security personnel forcefully closed the gate against them, forcing the surging students to fall, and hundreds of them marching on those on the ground.
When our reporter visited the university Wednesday morning, it was observed that thousands of the applicants who besieged the Akin Deko auditorium-venue of the screening were still at the two gates leading to the premises to the hall.
It was observed that the iron barricade of the western gate is turned and broken and almost to the ground, even as students still held on to it as they try to get their way into the hall.
One of the applicants who gave her name simply as Osas for fear of been victimized, described what happened as “horrible and hellish.”
“It was a terrible thing and so serious. It began when the students were attempting to enter into the hall and the security men said no. It was then that some of the students attempted to force their way into the place and the security men forcefully closed the gates on them. That is how hundreds of them fell, some this side and others that side.
“Those who got up marched on those still on the ground to get out of the confusion. Several people who were injured were rushed to the hospital, but am not sure anyone died, though many of them were seriously injured,” Osas said.
Meanwhile the University’s Public Relations Officer, Barr. Harrison Osarenren, denied that nobody died at the screening Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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When would Nigeria learn their hard lesson?
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