Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

This aerial picture shows a general 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 kids and seriously hurt six others, cops said on Thursday.

The hurt children were getting medical attention following the occurrence, which happened on Wednesday in city, Oyo State Police Command said.

“8 persons have because been arrested for their numerous involvements”, police spokesperson Adewale Osifeso said in a statement.

Among those detained was the main 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 statement “expressed profound unhappiness over the awful occurrence”.

He offered his “heartfelt condolences” to residents, state authorities and the “mourning families who have lost their beloved children”.

He advised the “Oyo State federal government to take every needed measure to prevent such a tragedy from returning”, the statement by the presidency added.

“Among the essential actions are an extensive review of all public occasions’ precaution, stringent enforcement of safety guidelines, and routine security audits of occasion places,” Tinubu included.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has actually seen several fatal stampedes in current 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 main Nigeria.

Later that month, another stampede killed 4 ladies who had actually been waiting outside the workplace of a wealthy businessman in the northern city of Bauchi to gather 5,000 naira ($3.40) cash presents to help 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 came to grips with its worst economic crisis in a generation.

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

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

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