By DAMILARE ADELEYE
Unconfirmed number of students at Lagos State University (LASU) were seriously injured during a stampede that occurred at an examination centre on Saturday, May 11, 2024, the Sparklight News reports.
This platform gathered that the stampede occurred on Saturday afternoon when the students assembled themselves at the LASU-CBT Centre to take a computer-based exam (MUS 213) at the university’s main campus, Ojo, Lagos State.
It was learnt that incident happened as a result of overcrowded population at the examination venue which was caused by a delay in commencement of the exam. The exam was reportedly scheduled to take place in batches.
A student, who anonymously tipped off our correspondent about the incident, disclosed that many students were injured and some fainted during the horrible event.
The source said, “Majority of 200 level students in the school borrowed the course. So, there were over 5,000 students who borrowed the course. And it’s a course each student paid N4,000 as practical fee for registration. When they got to the CBT center, the rain and some other issues came up and the exam did not start on time. The students were tired. And the officials were not communicating anything to them. So, when the students were frustrated, they tried to get information from the officials. But, then the security started attacking them using belts. And the process of that, the students who were over 5,000 started to run. In that process, because there was no enough space, there was a stampede. Some students were injured and some just fell down and fainted. They had to take many students to school hospital for treatment. Even the VC had to visit the medical center.”
The source said more than seven students were injured in during the stampede.
When asked about the number of injured students, the source said, “I don’t think anyone has an idea of the number of students that were injured, but I think about more than 7 students were injured.”
Another student, who also preferred not to be mentioned in this report, recounted his ordeal, saying that what he witnessed on that fateful day would linger in his memories.
He said, “I really can’t say much. But we all stood outside the gate of the CBT centre under the rain for more than 30minutes. The Theatre Art student among us were even dancing under the rain and it was fun. All these came to an end when they opened the CBT centre gate and everyone had to push themselves in order to find a shade which led to stampede.”
He added, “What I experienced on that day is something that I wouldn’t forget for a long period of time. I was under the rain till when it stopped and it was not easy just for a course that I borrowed. I almost had a pain attack just because of the stampede that happened and I had to stay on a spot for more than 5minutes. LASU is really not organized and I pray they do something about their structure especially during exam period.”
Some students also took to micro-blogging social media platform, X, to narrate their awful experiences.
One NIREDA said, “I was 3rd on the line Asper first batch I don’t know how I enter middle , I fell inside gutter 3 times and fell under the canopy and people wey stepping on me outta frustration I tore my venue checker and left .. rain beat shege but I said I must get home sha.
“I never even reach home I heard about 5 people fainted as at that time oo now they said 15 with people with broken bones …. The forth time I fell a friend pulled me back I for don knack head ontop concrete beside gutter 💔❤️🩹. Ontop this certificate wey I fit no fit use work.
Another student identified as Abdul Roqeeb said, “One girl fall down for my front for entrance as I was about to help her and carry her up na so I see say she do like she don die/faint omo I rush drop am back cus how I wan explain say na help I wan help. I movveee asap”
Another eyewitness student identified as John Philo, while writing on the incident, appealed to the school management to build more spacious CBT centers for the student populace.
In his words, “I wan (want to) die today… Drained over and over in that serious rain was something I won’t forget… People fainting and getting injured while those security personnel watched was infuriating ajeh.. Abeg, the school’s administration should really consider a more convenient CBT center(s)🙏”
A statement issued by the Students’ Union’ Public Relations Officer, Comrade Ibiade Benjamin, confirmed the incident, while informing the students that the exam had been put off till further notice.
The statement, however, strictly warned students against sharing information regarding the incident on social media to avoid tarnishing the image of the school.
When contacted by our correspondent for further information, Ibiade declined to comment on the incident, saying: “I’m not in the right position to answer this. Kindly contact the president of the union.”
When the Union’s President, Tobun Dolapo, was contacted, he confirmed the stampede, but saying that no student was injured during the incident.
Meanwhile, it was confirmed that the school management led by the Vice-chancellor, Prof. Ibiyemi Olatunji-Bello, alongside the Lagos State Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Tolani Sule, visited the affected students at the school medical center on Monday, May 13.
