Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

This aerial picture shows a basic view of the city of Ibadan in southwestern Nigeria, where the occurrence occurred

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

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

“8 individuals have actually considering that been jailed for their numerous participations”, authorities representative 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 opened a probe, Osifeso included.

Bola Tinubu on Thursday in a declaration “expressed extensive sadness over the awful occurrence”.

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

He urged the “Oyo State government to take every required measure to avoid such a catastrophe from persisting”, the declaration by the presidency added.

“Among the essential actions are an extensive evaluation of all public occasions’ precaution, rigorous enforcement of security regulations, and routine security audits of event locations,” Tinubu added.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has actually seen numerous lethal stampedes in recent months.

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

Later that month, another stampede eliminated four ladies who had been waiting outside the office of a wealthy business owner in the northern city of Bauchi to gather 5,000 naira ($3.40) money gifts to help spend for food during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Witnesses said members of the crowd pushed to acquire the cash, causing a stampede, as Nigeria faced its worst financial crisis in a generation.

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

“Our hearts remain with the families and liked ones affected by this catastrophe. May the souls of the departed rest in peace,” Makinde stated.

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