Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

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

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

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

“8 persons have considering that been arrested for their different participations”, authorities representative Adewale Osifeso said 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 .

The Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department has opened a probe, Osifeso added.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu on Thursday in a statement “expressed profound sadness over the tragic incident”.

He used his “genuine condolences” to locals, state authorities and the “mourning families who have actually lost their precious kids”.

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

“Among the essential actions are a thorough review of all public occasions’ precaution, stringent enforcement of safety regulations, and regular security audits of occasion venues,” Tinubu added.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has seen several fatal stampedes in recent months.

In March, 2 students passed away and 23 were hurt after being squashed as thousands gathered free of charge bags of rice distributed by regional authorities at Nasarawa State University, in main Nigeria.

Later that month, another stampede eliminated four women who had actually been waiting outside the office of a rich business owner in the northern city of Bauchi to collect 5,000 naira ($3.40) money gifts to assist spend for food throughout the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Witnesses said members of the crowd pressed to get hold of the cash, causing 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 families and loved ones impacted by this catastrophe. May the souls of the left rest in peace,” Makinde said.

“We sympathise with the parents whose happiness has all of a sudden been turned to grieving due to these deaths,” he added.