Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

This shows 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 killed 35 kids and seriously hurt 6 others, authorities said on Thursday.

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

“8 individuals have given that been detained for their numerous involvements”, police representative Adewale Osifeso said in a declaration.

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

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu on Thursday in a declaration “expressed extensive sadness over the terrible incident”.

He offered his “heartfelt condolences” to locals, state authorities and the “mourning households who have lost their cherished children”.

He urged the “Oyo State government to take every needed procedure to prevent such a catastrophe from returning”, the declaration by the presidency added.

“Among the essential actions are a comprehensive review of all public occasions’ security procedures, stringent enforcement of security policies, and regular safety audits of event locations,” Tinubu included.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has seen numerous deadly stampedes in current months.

In March, 2 students passed away and 23 were injured after being crushed 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 killed four females who had been waiting outside the workplace of a rich entrepreneur in the northern city of Bauchi to collect 5,000 naira ($3.40) money gifts to assist pay for food during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Witnesses stated members of the crowd pushed to get hold of the money, causing a stampede, as Nigeria came to grips with its worst recession in a generation.

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

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

“We sympathise with the moms and dads whose happiness has actually all of a sudden been turned to mourning due to these deaths,” he included.