The Ekiti State Police Command has launched an investigation into the death of three persons following a stampede at a hotel in Ikere Ekiti.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday during an after-convocation party organised by students of Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology, which held its second convocation ceremony on Saturday.
Sources said the celebration turned chaotic after a disagreement between two students escalated into a fight, triggering panic among partygoers.
In the ensuing rush to exit the venue, a stampede broke out, resulting in the deaths of two students and a hotel staff member.
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti State Command, SP Sunday Abutu, said the Commissioner of Police, Michael Falade, had ordered a thorough investigation.
“A preliminary investigation revealed that students moved to the hotel for a party after their convocation on April 18. During the event, two yet-to-be-identified students engaged in a fight, causing others to flee, which led to a stampede that claimed three lives,” Abutu said.
He added that the bodies of the deceased had been deposited in the morgue for autopsy.
The Commissioner of Police commiserated with the families of the victims and assured that the command would uncover the full circumstances surrounding the incident.
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