Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

This 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 eliminated 35 children and seriously injured six others, police said on Thursday.

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

”8 persons have actually given that been arrested for their different participations”, police representative Adewale Osifeso said in a statement.

Among those apprehended 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 opened a probe, Osifeso added.

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

He provided his ”heartfelt condolences” to locals, state authorities and the ”grieving families who have actually lost their precious kids”.

He advised the ”Oyo State federal government to take every needed measure to avoid such a tragedy from reoccurring”, the declaration by the presidency included.

”Among the essential actions are a detailed review of all public occasions’ precaution, strict enforcement of safety guidelines, and regular safety audits of event places,” Tinubu included.

– ’Rest in peace’ –

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

In March, two trainees died and 23 were injured after being squashed 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 four ladies who had actually been waiting outside the office of a wealthy business owner in the northern city of Bauchi to collect 5,000 naira ($3.40) cash presents to help spend for food throughout the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Witnesses stated members of the crowd pushed to get hold of the cash, causing a stampede, as Nigeria grappled with its worst recession in a generation.

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

”Our hearts remain with the households and enjoyed ones impacted by this disaster. May the souls of the departed rest in peace,” Makinde said.

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