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 took place

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

The injured kids were receiving medical attention following the incident, which took location on Wednesday in Nigeria’s third-largest city, Oyo State Police Command said.

“8 persons have since been apprehended for their numerous participations”, cops spokesperson Adewale Osifeso stated in a declaration.

Among those detained was the main sponsor of the event at the Basorun Islamic High School, which was 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 “revealed profound sadness over the terrible incident”.

He used his “sincere condolences” to residents, state authorities and the “mourning households who have actually lost their cherished children”.

He urged the “Oyo State federal government to take every required procedure to avoid such a catastrophe from returning”, the declaration by the presidency included.

“Among the necessary actions are an extensive evaluation of all public events’ security measures, rigorous enforcement of safety regulations, and routine safety audits of event venues,” Tinubu included.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has actually seen numerous deadly stampedes in current months.

In March, 2 students passed away and 23 were harmed after being crushed as thousands collected totally free bags of rice handed out by regional authorities at Nasarawa State University, in main Nigeria.

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

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

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

“Our hearts remain with the households and loved ones affected by this disaster. May the souls of the left rest in peace,” Makinde stated.

“We sympathise with the moms and dads whose happiness has all of a sudden been turned to grieving due to these deaths,” he included.