Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

This aerial photograph reveals a general 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 6 others, authorities stated on Thursday.

The injured kids were receiving medical attention following the occurrence, which happened on Wednesday in third-largest city, Oyo State Police Command said.

“8 individuals have because been detained for their numerous participations”, authorities representative Adewale Osifeso stated 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 actually opened a probe, Osifeso added.

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

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

He urged the “Oyo State government to take every required procedure to prevent such a tragedy from repeating”, the statement by the presidency included.

“Among the important actions are a comprehensive review of all public occasions’ security steps, rigorous enforcement of security guidelines, and routine safety audits of event venues,” Tinubu added.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

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

In March, two students passed away and 23 were harmed after being crushed as thousands collected for free 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 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 pay for food during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Witnesses stated members of the crowd pushed to get hold of 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 acknowledgements for the Ibadan victims on X on Wednesday.

“Our hearts remain with the households and loved ones affected by this catastrophe. May the souls of the departed rest in peace,” Makinde said.

“We sympathise with the moms and dads whose delight has suddenly been turned to mourning due to these deaths,” he added.