Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

This aerial photo shows a general view of the city of Ibadan in southwestern Nigeria, where the took place

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

The hurt kids were receiving medical attention following the incident, which happened on Wednesday in Nigeria’s third-largest city, Oyo State Police Command said.

“8 individuals have actually given that been arrested for their different involvements”, cops representative Adewale Osifeso stated in a declaration.

Among those detained 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 actually opened a probe, Osifeso included.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu on Thursday in a declaration “revealed profound sadness over the awful event”.

He used his “heartfelt acknowledgements” to locals, state authorities and the “grieving households who have lost their cherished children”.

He urged the “Oyo State federal government to take every necessary step to avoid such a disaster from reoccurring”, the statement by the presidency added.

“Among the important actions are an extensive evaluation of all public occasions’ security procedures, stringent enforcement of safety guidelines, and routine security audits of event places,” Tinubu added.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has seen several deadly stampedes in recent months.

In March, two students died and 23 were hurt after being crushed as thousands collected free of charge bags of rice given out by local authorities at Nasarawa State University, in main Nigeria.

Later that month, another stampede killed four women who had been waiting outside the office of a wealthy 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 stated members of the crowd pushed to get hold of the cash, triggering a stampede, as Nigeria grappled with its worst financial crisis in a generation.

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

“Our hearts stay with the households and enjoyed ones impacted by this catastrophe. May the souls of the left rest in peace,” Makinde stated.

“We sympathise with the moms and dads whose delight has actually suddenly been turned to grieving due to these deaths,” he added.