A final-year pharmacy student from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), has died during clinical training at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) in Ituku Ozalla. His death has caused anger and led to a petition from the university’s alumni.
An alumni group called the Noble Foundation, made up of graduates from the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, sent a strong message to the UNN Governing Council. They criticized the poor and unsafe conditions that pharmacy students face at the training location in Ituku Ozalla.
The petition came after a sad video went viral, showing the student’s body crushed by a vehicle on the Enugu-Port Harcourt expressway.
The petition read: “This boy could have been anyone’s son. He might have found the cure for cancer or even become Nigeria’s president. We’ll never know because his life was cut short. And sadly, he may not be the last victim of this kind of tragedy.”
The alumni blamed the university for not protecting its students. They said students are forced to live in unsafe houses in Ituku Ozalla village. These houses are shared-room type (“face-me-I-face-you”) without basic needs like water, light, or security.
They also complained about the lack of proper student housing, bad roads, no emergency services, and the fact that lecturers stay far away in Nsukka, leaving students without proper supervision.
“These problems make it hard for students to concentrate on their training. Worse, they put students’ health and lives in danger,” said Chidiebere Ugwu, the Emeritus President of the Noble Foundation, who signed the petition.
He added that every student should have a safe and supportive place to learn, especially during important hands-on training that prepares them for their careers.
The group asked the university to immediately move the pharmacy students back to the Nsukka campus for safety. They also suggested using facilities in Nsukka for clinical training temporarily and improving the UNTH satellite center at Obukpa in the long term.
They further demanded better housing, meal options, emergency medical services, and regular meetings with student leaders.
The petition ended by urging the Governing Council to act quickly and take the matter seriously. The alumni also offered to work with the university to make sure students can learn in a safe and supportive environment.
