Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

This aerial photo 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 actually killed 35 kids and seriously hurt 6 others, authorities stated on Thursday.

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

“8 individuals have because been apprehended for their various involvements”, cops representative Adewale Osifeso said in a statement.

Among those 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 added.

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

He provided his “genuine acknowledgements” to locals, state authorities and the “grieving families who have lost their cherished children”.

He advised the “Oyo State government to take every necessary procedure to avoid such a disaster from returning”, the statement by the presidency added.

“Among the necessary actions are a thorough evaluation of all public events’ precaution, stringent enforcement of safety policies, and regular safety audits of event venues,” Tinubu included.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has seen several fatal stampedes in recent months.

In March, 2 students 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 4 women who had been waiting outside the workplace of a wealthy entrepreneur in the northern city of Bauchi to gather 5,000 naira ($3.40) money gifts to help spend for food throughout the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Witnesses stated members of the crowd pressed to get hold of the cash, causing a stampede, as Nigeria came to grips with its worst economic crisis in a generation.

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

“Our hearts remain with the families and loved ones affected by this catastrophe. May the souls of the departed rest in peace,” Makinde said.

“We sympathise with the parents whose joy has unexpectedly been turned to mourning due to these deaths,” he added.