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 Nigerian city of Ibadan has killed 35 kids and seriously hurt 6 others, police said on Thursday.

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

“8 persons have actually given that been detained for their numerous involvements”, police representative Adewale Osifeso said in a declaration.

Among those apprehended was the primary sponsor of the occasion at the Basorun Islamic High School, which was arranged 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 “revealed extensive unhappiness over the terrible incident”.

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

He advised the “Oyo State federal government to take every essential measure to avoid such a tragedy from repeating”, the declaration by the presidency added.

“Among the essential actions are a detailed evaluation of all public events’ precaution, rigorous enforcement of safety policies, and regular safety audits of event venues,” Tinubu added.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has actually seen a number of lethal stampedes in recent months.

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

Later that month, another stampede killed four ladies who had been waiting outside the workplace of a rich entrepreneur in the northern city of Bauchi to collect 5,000 naira ($3.40) money gifts to help spend for food throughout the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Witnesses stated members of the crowd pushed to acquire 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 remain with the households and enjoyed ones impacted by this catastrophe. May the souls of the left rest in peace,” Makinde stated.

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