Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

This aerial photograph 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 actually eliminated 35 children and seriously hurt 6 others, police stated on Thursday.

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

“8 persons have given that been apprehended for their various involvements”, authorities spokesperson Adewale Osifeso said in a declaration.

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 opened a probe, Osifeso included.

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

He used his “wholehearted acknowledgements” to locals, state authorities and the “grieving households who have lost their cherished children”.

He advised the “Oyo State government to take every needed measure to prevent such a catastrophe from reoccurring”, the statement by the presidency added.

“Among the necessary actions are a comprehensive evaluation of all public events’ precaution, strict enforcement of security guidelines, and routine security audits of occasion places,” Tinubu added.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

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

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

Later that month, another stampede killed 4 women who had been waiting outside the office of a rich business person in the of Bauchi to gather 5,000 naira ($3.40) money presents to help pay for food during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Witnesses said members of the crowd pushed to get hold of the cash, causing a stampede, as Nigeria faced its worst recession in a generation.

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

“Our hearts stay with the households and enjoyed ones impacted by this disaster. May the souls of the departed rest in peace,” Makinde stated.

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