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 took place

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

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

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

Among those apprehended 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 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 lost their precious children”.

He urged the “Oyo State federal government to take every required step to prevent such a catastrophe from repeating”, the declaration by the presidency included.

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

in peace’ –

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

In March, two trainees died and 23 were hurt after being crushed as thousands collected free of charge bags of rice given out by local authorities at Nasarawa State University, in central Nigeria.

Later that month, another stampede killed four ladies who had actually been waiting outside the workplace of a rich entrepreneur in the northern city of Bauchi to gather 5,000 naira ($3.40) cash presents to help pay for food during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Witnesses said members of the crowd pressed to acquire the cash, causing a stampede, as Nigeria grappled with its worst economic crisis 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 families and enjoyed ones impacted by this disaster. May the souls of the left rest in peace,” Makinde said.

“We sympathise with the parents whose delight has actually all of a sudden been turned to mourning due to these deaths,” he included.