Photo caption: The survivor. Photo credit: Vanguard
A survivor of the party at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, where four students died and six others were hospitalised, has recounted how he lost consciousness while cleaning up after another attendee vomited during the gathering.
The 24-year-old survivor also disclosed that it was his first time consuming alcohol, expressing regret over the experience and vowing never to drink again.
He spoke in an interview with Vanguard on Friday, where he narrated how he attended the gathering after being invited by a friend identified as David, who organised the party to celebrate the completion of his examinations.
According to him, the party started at about 11.30pm at an apartment in the Hilltop area of Nsukka, with about 10 people in attendance.
He said the attendees played truth or dare and shared two bottles of alcoholic drinks, Magic Moments and Best, which were poured into party cups in small quantities.
“My friend organised the party and invited me. He said I should come. Then, he brought Magic Moments and Best. We bought them and took them home.
“The party began around 11.30pm. We started playing games, truth or dare. It is just like a fun game where if you are told to say the truth, you say the truth about something, and if they dare you to do something, you do it,” he said.
The survivor said the game was purely for entertainment and that participants were not paid to take part.
Recounting how he collapsed, he said one of the male attendees vomited during the gathering, prompting him to help the person clean up.
“At a point, one of the boys vomited, and I took him to the bathroom and told him to clean himself up. I brought out a rag to clean the curtain he vomited on.
“When I finished, I went to drop the bucket of water. I lost consciousness there,” he said.
He explained that the gathering took place in the parlour of a one-bedroom apartment, where the windows were shut and a fan was being used.
According to him, although the apartment had an air conditioner, it was not switched on, while a generator was running outside the corridor, not far from where they were.
On the quantity of alcohol consumed, he said the drinks were shared in small amounts because the group had only two bottles.
“It was a party cup. It was not up to a quarter of the party cup that we used. We took small quantities because we had only two bottles. If we were to serve it full, it would not have gone round,” he said.
Speaking on his health condition, the survivor said he was recovering but remained unable to use his legs properly.
“Currently, I am getting better. It is just that my legs are still stiff. I cannot still use my legs,” he said.
He confirmed that he was receiving medical attention and disclosed that the university’s Vice-Chancellor had visited the affected students, alongside some local government representatives and friends.
Reflecting on the incident, he said he was still struggling to come to terms with what happened, particularly because he had never consumed alcohol before.
“I feel so numb because I never even thought of what would happen at first, because this is just the first time I am taking alcohol and it has got me to this extent.
“So I am not really proud of it. But I know that this will be the last of it,” he said.
The survivor also said he could not establish whether the drinks had been contaminated, adding that people had repeatedly asked him if someone might have poisoned them.
He said police officers also questioned him about whether he had any disagreement with anyone or suspected anybody of attempting to harm him.
However, he said he told the officers that he did not suspect anyone.
The incident, which occurred at an off-campus gathering in the Hilltop area of Nsukka, left four students dead and six others hospitalised.
The Enugu State Police Command said the four deceased students, comprising two males and two females, were confirmed dead on arrival at the hospital.
The police said alcoholic beverages were recovered from the scene, adding that the remains of the deceased had been deposited in a mortuary for autopsy as investigations continued to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The university subsequently confirmed the deaths of four students and announced three days of mourning, during which academic and social activities were suspended.
Fawzi is a journalist and subeditor covering a wide range of beats including politics, metro, and international news, among others. He also optimises stories for digital audiences.
