The Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, has expressed profound sorrow over the untimely deaths of four students from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), who lost their lives during an off-campus celebration organised to mark a friend’s final examinations.
​In an official statement released on Tuesday, August 13, 2024, through the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, Governor Mbah described the incident as a “heartbreaking loss” not only to the immediate families and the university community, but to the entire state.
​According to preliminary reports from the Enugu State Police Command and university authorities, the tragedy occurred late on Monday, August 12, 2024, at a private lodge located in Odenigwe, a bustling off-campus student residential area bordering the Nsukka campus.
​The victims, comprising three final-year students and a graduating colleague, had gathered at the apartment around 8:00 PM to celebrate the completion of their degree examinations. Following a power outage in the area, the students reportedly turned on a portable petrol-powered electricity generator inside the enclosed apartment’s kitchen/balcony space to continue the gathering.
​Neighbours raised the alarm the following morning at approximately 7:30 AM after noticing the generator was still running with no movement inside the locked apartment. Upon forcing the door open, four of the students were found unconscious and later confirmed dead on arrival at the UNN Medical Centre, while a fifth student was rescued in critical condition and placed on oxygen support.
​Speaking on behalf of the state government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia stated that Governor Mbah has directed the State Ministry of Health and security agencies to provide immediate medical support to the lone survivor and conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
​”His Excellency, Dr. Peter Mbah, received the news of this tragic incident with deep shock and grief. These were bright young minds at the threshold of contributing their quota to society. Our thoughts and prayers are with their parents, friends, and the entire UNN community during this dark hour,” the statement read.
​Confirming the incident to journalists in Enugu, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for the Enugu State Command, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, noted that operatives from the Nsukka Urban Divisional Police Headquarters visited the scene immediately after receiving the distress call.
He confirmed that preliminary findings pointed to carbon monoxide inhalation, adding that the bodies had been deposited at the mortuary for autopsy.
​Similarly, the Acting Public Relations Officer of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Okwun Omeaku, issued a brief statement commiserating with the bereaved families. He reiterated the university management’s standing warning against the use of generators indoors and urged students residing off-campus to prioritise safety during post-examination celebrations.
