A strange illness has reportedly killed no fewer than 13 students in less than a month at Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT).
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) South-East Zone has called for the immediate shutdown of the university till further notice to allow proper investigation into the cause of the outbreak of the strange illness.
idanNews learnt that the unfortunate incident, which has already caused tension among students and staff of the university, has been downplayed by the university management.
A university staff member, Godwin Onah, who spoke to Punch, described the situation as alarming and called on the government for intervention.
He said, โThere are massive mysterious deaths at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology, yet the Enugu State Government and school management are nonchalant about it.
โThe Enugu State Government or Federal Government should close the school immediately to avert further deaths.โ
On Friday, the team led by the state Commissioner of Health, Dr Ikechukwu Obi, visited the universityโs Agbani campus to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the alleged development.
However, In a statement titled: โCall to shut down Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) immediately,โ NANS Zonal Coordinator, Chidi Nzekwe, warned that it would not watch the lives and welfare of its students endangered.
Nzekwe stated that the leadership of the NANS Zone F-Southeast expresses their deepest concern and utmost dismay over the frequent and tragic deaths in ESUT.
The statement reads, โOur investigations have shown a high level of negligence on the part of the school administration, ranging from non-functional student clinics, which is a major factor for the unfortunate death of our students.
โIn the light of these disturbing findings, the leadership of NANS Zone F has decided to order the immediate shutdown of the institution till further notice.
โThis action is necessary to allow us to engage in extensive meetings with relevant stakeholders including the university management, medical experts, security agencies, and student representatives.
โFailure to shut down the institution with immediate effect, we will be compelled to escalate our actions and the university management should get ready to contend with the armless battalion of Nigerian students in the zone.
โThe leadership of NANS Zone F is committed to protecting the rights and welfare of Nigerian students. We will not stand idly while the lives and welfare of our students are endangered. As we seek a quick intervention to this crisis, we urge all our students in ESUT to return to their respective homes where they will be safe till further notice.
โMay the souls of our dear departed students Rest in peace.โ
However, the Public Relations Officer of the University, Ikechukwu Ezianioma, in an interview, described the rumours and reports as fake, insisting that there was no strange Illness in ESUT.
He said, โThe Commissioners of Health, Education and Secretary to the State Government, with a whole lot of other government officials came to the university today and after checking, they discovered that the reports circulating were false.
โSo, I would advise you to contact the commissioner of health and he will be in a better position to tell you whether there is such or not. All I can tell you now is that there is no strange Illness killing students in ESUT.โ
