Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

This aerial picture reveals a general 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, police stated 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 said.

“8 persons have actually considering that been apprehended for their various participations”, police spokesperson Adewale Osifeso said in a declaration.

Among those apprehended 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 actually opened a probe, Osifeso included.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu on Thursday in a declaration “expressed profound unhappiness over the awful occurrence”.

He provided his “wholehearted acknowledgements” to residents, state authorities and the “grieving households who have actually lost their cherished kids”.

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

“Among the essential actions are a detailed review of all public occasions’ safety measures, stringent enforcement of security guidelines, and regular safety audits of occasion places,” Tinubu added.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has actually seen numerous fatal stampedes in current months.

In March, two students died and 23 were hurt after being squashed 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 killed four females who had actually been waiting outside the workplace of a rich businessman in the northern city of Bauchi to collect 5,000 naira ($3.40) money gifts to help pay for food during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Witnesses said members of the crowd pushed to acquire the cash, triggering a stampede, as Nigeria grappled with its worst 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 households 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 actually unexpectedly been turned to mourning due to these deaths,” he added.