Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

This aerial photograph reveals a basic view of the city of Ibadan in southwestern Nigeria, where the event occurred

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

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

“8 individuals have given that been jailed for their different participations”, police representative Adewale Osifeso stated in a statement.

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 actually opened a probe, Osifeso added.

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

He offered his “heartfelt condolences” to locals, state authorities and the “mourning families who have actually lost their beloved kids”.

He prompted the “Oyo State government to take every required measure to avoid such a disaster from repeating”, the declaration by the presidency added.

“Among the necessary actions are an extensive evaluation of all public occasions’ security steps, rigorous enforcement of security regulations, and routine safety audits of occasion locations,” Tinubu added.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has seen numerous deadly stampedes in current months.

In March, two students passed away and 23 were hurt after being crushed as thousands gathered for complimentary bags of rice given out by local authorities at Nasarawa State University, in central Nigeria.

Later that month, another stampede killed 4 ladies who had been waiting outside the workplace of a wealthy entrepreneur in the of Bauchi to collect 5,000 naira ($3.40) cash presents to assist pay for food during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Witnesses stated members of the crowd pressed to acquire the cash, triggering a stampede, as Nigeria came to grips with its worst financial 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 households and loved ones impacted by this disaster. May the souls of the left rest in peace,” Makinde stated.

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