Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

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

A stampede at a school funfair in the southwestern Nigerian city of Ibadan has eliminated 35 children and seriously hurt 6 others, police said on Thursday.

The hurt kids were receiving medical attention following the incident, which took place on Wednesday in Nigeria’s third-largest city, Oyo State Police Command stated.

“8 individuals have because been apprehended for their different participations”, police representative Adewale Osifeso stated in a declaration.

Among those was the primary sponsor of the event 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 declaration “revealed profound sadness over the terrible incident”.

He offered his “heartfelt acknowledgements” to residents, state authorities and the “grieving households who have actually lost their precious kids”.

He urged the “Oyo State government to take every needed measure to prevent such a disaster from persisting”, the statement by the presidency included.

“Among the vital actions are a comprehensive evaluation of all public occasions’ security measures, stringent enforcement of security policies, and routine safety audits of occasion locations,” Tinubu included.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has actually seen numerous lethal stampedes in recent months.

In March, 2 students died and 23 were injured after being crushed as thousands gathered for free bags of rice distributed by local authorities at Nasarawa State University, in central Nigeria.

Later that month, another stampede eliminated 4 women who had been waiting outside the office of a wealthy business person in the northern city of Bauchi to gather 5,000 naira ($3.40) money presents to assist spend for food during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

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

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

“Our hearts stay with the families and enjoyed ones affected by this catastrophe. May the souls of the left rest in peace,” Makinde stated.

“We sympathise with the parents whose happiness has actually suddenly been turned to mourning due to these deaths,” he included.