The University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), has confirmed that four students died after an off-campus gathering in Nsukka, Enugu State.
Six other students who attended the gathering are receiving treatment at different hospitals.
Vice-Chancellor, Professor Simon Ortuanya, announced the deaths in a statement published on Thursday, November 12, 2026. He also declared three days of mourning in honour of the deceased.
The incident occurred on Wednesday, November 11, at a lodge in the Hilltop area of Nsukka. The gathering was reportedly organised to celebrate a friend who had completed final-year examinations.
According to the university, 10 students from different departments attended the event. Four reportedly died after consuming substances suspected to include alcohol and drugs.
Ortuanya described the incident as “a death too many”.
“Within these three days, all social and academic activities will be suspended in the University,” he said.
Police investigate circumstances surrounding the deaths
The Enugu State Police Command confirmed that four people, comprising two males and two females, died after reportedly falling ill during the gathering.
Police spokesperson, SP Daniel Ndukwe, said six other people were taken to hospital for medical attention.
According to the police, alcoholic beverages were recovered from the scene. The remains of the deceased were deposited in a mortuary for autopsy.
The command said it had launched an investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and determine the cause of death.
Although reports have suggested a possible drug overdose, authorities have not publicly established the precise cause.
UNN dismisses claims that victims were Pharmacy students
The incident initially sparked reports that seven students from UNN’s Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences had died.
However, the Pharmaceutical Association of Nigerian Students (PANS), UNN chapter, dismissed the claim.
Its president, Onah Olisaemeka, said he visited Faith Foundation Hospital, where the bodies of four victims were deposited.
He confirmed that the deceased comprised two males and two females but said he did not recognise any of them as Pharmacy students.
The association urged the public to avoid spreading unverified information about the victims and their identities.
The university also clarified that the students involved came from different departments.
University suspends activities, reiterates ban on sign-out parties
UNN management expressed condolences to the families and friends of the deceased.
It also suspended social and academic activities for three days as part of the mourning period.
The university reiterated its ban on sign-out celebrations, urging students to treat the completion of their studies as a time for reflection rather than risky festivities.
Management also suspended a planned town hall meeting between the university community and the Enugu State Governor.
The institution said it was working with security agencies to establish what led to the deaths.
Meanwhile, the six surviving students remain under medical care as investigations continue.
