Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

This aerial picture shows 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 six others, police said on Thursday.

The hurt children were receiving medical attention following the incident, which took place on Wednesday in Nigeria’s third-largest city, Oyo State Police Command said.

“8 persons have actually because been jailed for their various involvements”, police representative Adewale Osifeso stated in a declaration.

Among those detained was the main sponsor of the occasion 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 included.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu on Thursday in a declaration “revealed extensive unhappiness over the awful incident”.

He used his “sincere acknowledgements” to locals, state authorities and the “mourning families who have lost their cherished children”.

He prompted the “Oyo State federal government to take every needed step to prevent such a catastrophe from reoccurring”, the statement by the presidency included.

“Among the important actions are a thorough evaluation of all public events’ precaution, rigorous enforcement of security regulations, and regular security audits of event venues,” Tinubu included.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has actually seen numerous lethal stampedes in current months.

In March, two students died and 23 were harmed after being squashed as thousands gathered free of charge bags of rice distributed by local authorities at Nasarawa State University, in main Nigeria.

Later that month, another stampede killed four women who had actually been waiting outside the workplace of a wealthy business person in the northern city of Bauchi to gather 5,000 naira ($3.40) 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 grappled with its worst financial crisis in a generation.

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

“Our hearts stay with the families and loved ones impacted by this disaster. May the souls of the departed rest in peace,” Makinde said.

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