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 took place

A stampede at a school funfair in the southwestern Nigerian city of Ibadan has killed 35 kids and seriously hurt 6 others, cops said on Thursday.

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

“8 persons have considering that been jailed for their numerous participations”, authorities representative Adewale Osifeso said in a declaration.

Among those detained was the primary sponsor of the event 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 actually opened a probe, Osifeso included.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu on Thursday in a statement “revealed extensive sadness over the tragic incident”.

He used his “sincere acknowledgements” to residents, state authorities and the “mourning families who have lost their precious children”.

He urged the “Oyo State federal government to take every essential step to avoid such a tragedy from reoccurring”, the statement by the presidency included.

“Among the essential actions are a detailed evaluation of all public occasions’ precaution, stringent enforcement of safety guidelines, and routine security audits of occasion locations,” Tinubu included.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has actually seen a number of fatal stampedes in months.

In March, two students died and 23 were hurt after being squashed as thousands collected totally free bags of rice handed out by local authorities at Nasarawa State University, in central Nigeria.

Later that month, another stampede eliminated four ladies who had actually been waiting outside the office of a rich businessman 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 get hold of the money, causing a stampede, as Nigeria grappled with its worst financial 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 loved ones affected by this disaster. May the souls of the departed rest in peace,” Makinde stated.

“We sympathise with the moms and dads whose happiness has suddenly been turned to mourning due to these deaths,” he included.