Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

This aerial photo reveals 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 actually killed 35 kids and seriously hurt six others, police said on Thursday.

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

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

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 opened a probe, Osifeso added.

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

He offered his “sincere acknowledgements” to locals, state authorities and the “grieving families who have lost their beloved children”.

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

“Among the necessary actions are a thorough evaluation of all public events’ safety procedures, stringent enforcement of safety policies, and regular security audits of event venues,” Tinubu included.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has seen stampedes in recent months.

In March, two students died and 23 were harmed after being crushed as thousands collected free of charge bags of rice handed 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 wealthy business person in the northern city of Bauchi to collect 5,000 naira ($3.40) money gifts to assist spend for food during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Witnesses said members of the crowd pressed to acquire the cash, triggering a stampede, as Nigeria faced its worst economic crisis 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 families and enjoyed ones impacted by this tragedy. May the souls of the departed rest in peace,” Makinde said.

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