Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

This aerial picture 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 killed 35 children and seriously hurt six others, cops stated on Thursday.

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

“8 individuals have actually because been arrested for their different participations”, cops spokesperson Adewale Osifeso stated in a declaration.

Among those detained was the main sponsor of the event at the Basorun Islamic High School, which was arranged 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 extensive unhappiness over the terrible occurrence”.

He provided his “sincere condolences” to residents, state authorities and the “grieving households who have actually lost their beloved children”.

He urged the “Oyo State federal government to take every required step to avoid such a catastrophe from reoccurring”, the statement by the presidency included.

“Among the vital actions are a detailed review of all public events’ precaution, strict enforcement of safety policies, and regular safety audits of occasion locations,” Tinubu included.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

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

In March, 2 trainees died and 23 were harmed after being squashed as thousands collected free of charge bags of rice given out by local authorities at Nasarawa State University, in main Nigeria.

Later that month, another stampede eliminated four women who had actually been waiting outside the workplace of a rich business owner in the northern city of Bauchi to collect 5,000 naira ($3.40) cash gifts to help pay for food during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Witnesses stated members of the crowd pushed to acquire the cash, triggering a stampede, as Nigeria came to grips with 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 households and enjoyed ones impacted by this catastrophe. May the souls of the departed rest in peace,” Makinde stated.

“We sympathise with the parents whose delight has actually all of a sudden been turned to grieving due to these deaths,” he included.