A stampede broke out at the University of Calabar (UNICAL) on Saturday, resulting in 16 students being hospitalized for injuries at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH).
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The stampede occurred as hundreds of 100-level students rushed to get seats at a packed exam hall to write their General Studies and Communication Skills (GSS) test.
According to eyewitness Ruth Bisong, the exam was initially meant to be taken in batches but students scrambled desperately to enter the hall at once, likely hoping to secure space due to limited seating.
In the ensuing stampede, 16 students sustained injuries serious enough to require hospital treatment. The GSS exam was supposed to be the final first semester test for new intakes from various UNICAL faculties.
The university’s Public Relations Officer Eyo Effiong could not be reached for comment on the situation as at press time. No official statement has been released.
However, sources say the exam scheduled for Friday was postponed to Saturday, leading to the crowded hall conditions. The failure to control admission into the hall smoothly resulted in the stampede.
With 16 students already hospitalized, the number of injured may rise further as the university assesses the aftermath of the incident. A probe into the lapses that led to uncontrolled access into the exam hall is anticipated.
UNICAL authorities are expected to promptly address the matter and prevent similar organizational failures in future, especially for high-stakes exams.
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