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 occurred

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

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

“8 persons have actually given that been apprehended for their different participations”, authorities representative Adewale Osifeso said in a statement.

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 opened a probe, Osifeso included.

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

He used his “wholehearted acknowledgements” to locals, state authorities and the “grieving households who have actually lost their cherished children”.

He prompted the “Oyo State government to take every necessary measure to prevent such a catastrophe from reoccurring”, the declaration by the presidency included.

“Among the vital actions are a detailed evaluation of all public events’ safety measures, rigorous enforcement of safety policies, and routine safety audits of event venues,” Tinubu added.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has seen a number of fatal stampedes in recent months.

In March, two trainees died and 23 were injured after being crushed as thousands gathered free of charge bags of rice handed out by regional authorities at Nasarawa State University, in main Nigeria.

Later that month, another stampede killed 4 women who had been waiting outside the office of a rich entrepreneur in the northern city of Bauchi to collect 5,000 naira ($3.40) cash gifts to assist spend for food throughout the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

members of the crowd pressed to get hold of the cash, causing a stampede, as Nigeria came to grips with its worst recession 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 households and enjoyed ones impacted by this catastrophe. May the souls of the left rest in peace,” Makinde stated.

“We sympathise with the moms and dads whose happiness has unexpectedly been turned to mourning due to these deaths,” he added.