Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

This aerial photograph shows a general view of the city of Ibadan in southwestern Nigeria, where the occurrence happened

A stampede at a school funfair in the southwestern Nigerian city of Ibadan has actually killed 35 kids and seriously hurt 6 others, cops stated on Thursday.

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

“8 persons have considering that been arrested for their numerous involvements”, authorities spokesperson Adewale Osifeso stated in a statement.

Among those detained 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 statement “expressed extensive unhappiness over the terrible incident”.

He provided his “genuine condolences” to locals, state authorities and the “grieving families who have actually lost their beloved children”.

He prompted the “Oyo State federal government to take every needed step to prevent such a catastrophe from persisting”, the statement by the presidency added.

“Among the important actions are an extensive review of all public occasions’ safety procedures, rigorous enforcement of safety guidelines, and routine safety audits of event locations,” Tinubu included.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has seen several fatal stampedes in current months.

In March, 2 students died and 23 were injured after being squashed as thousands gathered free of charge bags of rice handed out by regional authorities at Nasarawa State University, in central Nigeria.

Later that month, another stampede eliminated 4 women who had been waiting outside the workplace of a wealthy businessman in the northern city of Bauchi to collect 5,000 naira ($3.40) money presents to help pay for food during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Witnesses stated members of the crowd pressed to get hold of the money, triggering a stampede, as its worst economic crisis in a generation.

Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde had shared his condolences 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 stated.

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