Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

This aerial photo shows a general view of the city of Ibadan in southwestern Nigeria, where the occurrence took place

A stampede at a school funfair in the southwestern Nigerian city of Ibadan has eliminated 35 children and seriously injured six others, cops said on Thursday.

The injured children were getting medical attention following the event, which happened on Wednesday in Nigeria’s third-largest city, Oyo State Police Command said.

“8 individuals have considering that been jailed for their numerous involvements”, authorities spokesperson Adewale Osifeso said in a statement.

Among those apprehended was the primary sponsor of the occasion at the Basorun Islamic High School, which was organised by the Wings Foundation and Agidigbo FM radio.

The Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department has opened a probe, Osifeso included.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu on Thursday in a statement “expressed extensive sadness over the awful occurrence”.

He offered his “sincere acknowledgements” to locals, state authorities and the “mourning households who have lost their beloved kids”.

He urged the “Oyo State federal government to take every essential step to prevent such a tragedy from reoccurring”, the declaration by the presidency included.

“Among the vital actions are an extensive evaluation of all public occasions’ precaution, rigorous enforcement of security policies, and routine security audits of event places,” Tinubu added.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has actually seen a number of fatal stampedes in current months.

In March, two and 23 were harmed after being squashed as thousands collected totally free bags of rice handed out by regional authorities at Nasarawa State University, in main Nigeria.

Later that month, another stampede killed four women who had actually been waiting outside the office of a rich businessman in the northern city of Bauchi to collect 5,000 naira ($3.40) money gifts to assist spend for food throughout the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Witnesses said members of the crowd pushed to get hold of the cash, causing a stampede, as Nigeria faced its worst economic crisis in a generation.

Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde had shared his condolences for the Ibadan victims on X on Wednesday.

“Our hearts stay with the households and loved ones affected by this tragedy. May the souls of the departed rest in peace,” Makinde stated.

“We sympathise with the moms and dads whose pleasure has suddenly been turned to grieving due to these deaths,” he included.