University of Nigeria Mourns Four Students Dead After Post-Exam Celebration

Four students from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, have died following a gathering held to mark the conclusion of their final examinations in the southeastern town of Nsukka.

Authorities have not yet determined the exact cause of death, though police spokesperson Daniel Ndukwe stated the two men and two women reportedly became ill after consuming alcoholic beverages at the off-campus party.

The university has declared a three-day mourning period, suspending all academic and social activities across campus.

The incident occurs against the backdrop of a nationwide crackdown on counterfeit and adulterated alcoholic products, with Nigeria’s food and drug regulatory agency conducting raids on facilities suspected of producing unsafe consumables.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Simon Ortuanya said the university received a distress call around 22:00 on Wednesday and dispatched security personnel to a residence known as Praise Lodge in Nsukka’s Hilltop district, where the celebration was underway.

“Preliminary findings suggest possible alcohol abuse or the presence of drug paraphernalia, though we cannot draw definitive conclusions at this stage,” Ortuanya stated, describing the losses as “tragic and painful.”

“As a community, we grieve not only for these students but alongside the families who invested years in their education and futures,” he added.

In response, the university has banned “signing-out” celebrations — traditional festivities where final-year students mark the end of their studies with parties, dancing, photographs, and the signing of shirts. Ortuanya urged students to instead use graduation as a period of reflection and preparation for life after university.

The institution is cooperating with security agencies to establish the precise circumstances surrounding the deaths. Police have also opened an investigation, confirming that alcoholic beverages were recovered from the scene and that the bodies have been transferred to a mortuary for post-mortem examinations.

The probe unfolds amid mounting concern over hazardous alcoholic drinks circulating in Nigeria. In September, dozens fell ill after consuming locally produced alcoholic beverages and herbal mixtures in communities across Ondo State, in the country’s southwest.

More than 11 deaths were recorded in the Araromi-Obu area, with over 50 others hospitalized. Investigations revealed that several of the drinks were contaminated with methanol, a highly toxic alcohol variant known to cause blindness and fatality.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) documented over 150 cases, including 48 confirmed deaths, more than 80 hospitalizations, and five instances of permanent vision loss.

The regulator continues to execute nationwide raids targeting facilities suspected of manufacturing counterfeit or adulterated alcoholic drinks, food, and beverages.

Nigeria has long grappled with the proliferation of unsafe and adulterated products, a crisis that public health advocates warn poses a severe threat to the population.

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