By Princely Onyenwe | News Desk
NSUKKA, ENUGU STATE — A survivor of the mysterious party tragedy at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), has disclosed that alcohol was the only substance consumed during the gathering, insisting that none of the participants smoked or took illicit drugs before several of them suddenly collapsed.
The 24-year-old student of Art Education made the disclosure while recounting how he regained consciousness hours after losing consciousness at an off-campus gathering in the Hilltop area of Nsukka, only to discover his friends lying motionless around him.
The incident, which reportedly occurred on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, claimed four lives, while six other persons were hospitalised, according to the Enugu State Police Command.
The survivor explained that approximately 10 friends had gathered at a private residence for a celebration organised by one of them, identified as David, to mark the completion of his final examinations.
What began as a friendly celebration reportedly involved drinks, conversations and a game of Truth or Dare. According to the survivor, their host purchased two bottles of alcoholic beverages identified as Magic Moment and Best, which were shared among the participants.
However, the celebration took a tragic turn when one of the participants suddenly began vomiting.
The survivor said he assisted the affected friend to the toilet before returning to clean up the vomit. Shortly afterwards, he began experiencing unusual physical symptoms, including stiffness in his legs, before eventually losing consciousness.
Recounting the frightening moment he regained consciousness, he said it was approximately 9 p.m., several hours after the gathering had reportedly started.
“After that, I suddenly lost consciousness. However, I noticed that my legs had become stiff, and I could no longer walk. When I regained consciousness at about 9 p.m., I heard someone saying that a ghost was shaking. I woke up and managed to look into the parlour, where I saw the host and other participants lying on the floor,” he recounted.
Still weak and disoriented, the survivor said he managed to contact a friend for assistance. The friend reportedly arrived at the apartment but left after seeing the condition of those inside.
He also expressed disappointment that another person who visited the scene allegedly recorded videos of the victims instead of immediately organising emergency assistance.
Help eventually came when another friend arrived and made arrangements to transport the affected persons to Bishop Shanahan Hospital and other medical facilities in Nsukka.
Addressing speculation about possible drug consumption, the survivor firmly denied that illicit substances or smoking were involved in the gathering.
“We didn’t smoke, and there was no drug there. We took only alcohol. We had just two bottles for about 10 people,” he insisted.
Although recovering, he disclosed that he was still experiencing stiffness in his legs, indicating that he had not completely recovered from the physical effects of the incident.
He also confirmed that the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Professor Simon Otuanya, had visited him following the tragedy.
Meanwhile, the Enugu State Police Command confirmed that four persons, comprising two males and two females, died in the incident, while six others were hospitalised.
The survivor’s account has intensified questions about what happened at the gathering, particularly the reported vomiting, muscular stiffness and sudden loss of consciousness experienced by some participants.
Although he identified alcohol as the only substance reportedly consumed, his testimony does not establish that alcohol caused the deaths.
Investigators will need to establish whether the drinks were contaminated, whether other toxic substances were involved or whether an entirely different medical emergency triggered the mass collapse.
Toxicological examinations, medical records, post-mortem findings and evidence recovered from the apartment will be crucial in determining what actually happened.
For the families of the deceased and the university community, the central question remains: what turned an ordinary celebration among friends into a tragedy that claimed four young lives?
9News Nigeria will continue to monitor developments as investigations progress.
