Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

This aerial picture reveals a basic view of the city of Ibadan in southwestern Nigeria, where the event happened

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

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

“8 persons have given that been detained for their numerous involvements”, police representative Adewale Osifeso stated in a declaration.

Among those apprehended 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 added.

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

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

He prompted the “Oyo State federal government to take every essential measure to avoid such a tragedy from returning”, the statement by the presidency added.

“Among the necessary actions are a detailed evaluation of all public events’ security procedures, strict enforcement of security regulations, and regular safety audits of occasion venues,” Tinubu included.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

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

In March, two students died and 23 were injured after being as thousands gathered totally free bags of rice given out by local authorities at Nasarawa State University, in main Nigeria.

Later that month, another stampede killed four ladies who had been waiting outside the office of a wealthy entrepreneur in the northern city of Bauchi to gather 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, causing a stampede, as Nigeria grappled with its worst financial crisis in a generation.

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

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

“We sympathise with the parents whose delight has unexpectedly been turned to grieving due to these deaths,” he included.