Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

This aerial photo shows a basic view of the city of Ibadan in southwestern Nigeria, where the incident happened

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

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

“8 individuals have given that been arrested for their numerous participations”, police spokesperson Adewale Osifeso said in a declaration.

Among those apprehended was the main 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 added.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu on Thursday in a declaration “expressed profound unhappiness over the awful event”.

He provided his “wholehearted acknowledgements” to residents, state authorities and the “mourning households who have actually lost their beloved children”.

He prompted the “Oyo State federal government to take every needed step to prevent such a tragedy from returning”, the declaration by the presidency added.

“Among the vital actions are a comprehensive evaluation of all public occasions’ precaution, stringent enforcement of safety guidelines, and routine security audits of event venues,” Tinubu included.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

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

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

Later that month, another stampede killed four women who had actually been waiting outside the workplace of a rich businessman in the northern city of Bauchi to 5,000 naira ($3.40) cash 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 came to grips with its worst recession 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 liked ones affected by this catastrophe. May the souls of the departed rest in peace,” Makinde said.

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