Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

This aerial photo shows a basic 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 killed 35 kids and seriously injured 6 others, police stated on Thursday.

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

“8 individuals have considering that been jailed for their different involvements”, police spokesperson Adewale Osifeso stated in a statement.

Among those detained was the main sponsor of the occasion 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 added.

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

He used his “wholehearted condolences” to residents, state authorities and the “grieving families who have actually lost their precious children”.

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

“Among the vital actions are a thorough review of all public occasions’ security procedures, stringent enforcement of security guidelines, and routine security audits of occasion places,” Tinubu added.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has actually seen several fatal stampedes in current months.

In March, 2 trainees passed away and 23 were harmed after being squashed as thousands gathered free of charge bags of rice given out by regional authorities at Nasarawa State University, in central Nigeria.

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

Witnesses said members of the crowd pushed to get hold of the cash, triggering a stampede, as with 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 households and loved ones impacted by this tragedy. May the souls of the departed rest in peace,” Makinde said.

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