Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

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

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

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

“8 persons have given that been apprehended for their various participations”, cops representative Adewale Osifeso said in a statement.

Among those detained was the primary 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 actually opened a probe, Osifeso added.

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

He used his “sincere acknowledgements” to locals, state authorities and the “grieving families who have actually lost their precious kids”.

He prompted the “Oyo State federal government to take every necessary step to prevent such a disaster from repeating”, the statement by the presidency added.

“Among the important actions are a comprehensive evaluation of all public occasions’ security procedures, stringent enforcement of safety policies, and routine security audits of occasion places,” Tinubu added.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has seen several deadly stampedes in recent months.

In March, two trainees passed away and 23 were harmed after being crushed as thousands gathered totally free bags of rice handed out by regional authorities at Nasarawa State University, in main Nigeria.

Later that month, another stampede killed 4 ladies who had been waiting outside the workplace of a rich businessman in the northern city of Bauchi to collect 5,000 naira ($3.40) cash gifts to assist spend for food during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Witnesses said members of the crowd pressed to get hold of the cash, causing a stampede, as Nigeria grappled with its worst economic 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 liked ones affected by this disaster. May the souls of the departed rest in peace,” Makinde stated.

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