Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

This aerial picture reveals 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 actually eliminated 35 children and seriously hurt six others, cops said on Thursday.

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

“8 persons have given that been jailed for their various involvements”, authorities spokesperson Adewale Osifeso stated in a declaration.

Among those detained was the main 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 opened a probe, Osifeso included.

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

He provided his “genuine condolences” to residents, state authorities and the “mourning households who have lost their beloved children”.

He prompted the “Oyo State federal government to take every required procedure to prevent such a disaster from repeating”, the statement by the presidency added.

“Among the necessary actions are a comprehensive evaluation of all public occasions’ security steps, strict enforcement of security guidelines, and routine safety audits of occasion places,” Tinubu included.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has seen several deadly stampedes in recent months.

In March, 2 trainees died and 23 were harmed after being squashed as thousands collected free of charge bags of rice handed out by regional authorities at Nasarawa State University, in main Nigeria.

Later that month, another stampede eliminated four ladies who had been waiting outside the workplace of a rich entrepreneur in the northern city of Bauchi to collect 5,000 naira ($3.40) cash presents to assist spend for food during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Witnesses said members of the crowd pressed to acquire the cash, causing a stampede, as 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 remain with the families and loved ones affected by this disaster. May the souls of the departed rest in peace,” Makinde said.

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