Police Launch Investigation into Stampede That Killed Three at Post-Convocation Party in Ekiti

The Ekiti State Police Command has begun a full investigation into a stampede that claimed three lives during a post-convocation party in Ikere-Ekiti.

The incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday at Emirate Hotel, following a convocation ceremony at Bamidele Olumiluwa University of Education, Science and Technology, Ikere-Ekiti (BOUESTI).

According to a statement issued by the command’s spokesperson, Sunday Abutu, the Commissioner of Police, CP Adegoroye Falade, has ordered a thorough probe into the tragedy.

The victims have been identified as a staff member of the hotel and two students of the university. Reports indicate that one of the students was a fresh graduate, while the other was his sibling who had come to celebrate with him.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the party, which began after the convocation on Saturday, lasted into the early hours of Sunday. An argument between two yet-to-be-identified students escalated into a fight, causing others nearby to rush for the exit. The ensuing stampede led to the deaths of the three individuals.

The Commissioner of Police expressed condolences to the families and friends of the deceased and appealed for calm, assuring that no effort would be spared in getting to the bottom of the incident.

He added that the bodies of the victims have been deposited in a morgue for autopsy.