Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

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

A stampede at a school funfair in the southwestern Nigerian city of Ibadan has killed 35 children and seriously injured six others, cops stated on Thursday.

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

“8 individuals have actually because been detained for their numerous involvements”, police spokesperson Adewale Osifeso said in a statement.

Among those apprehended was the primary 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 statement “expressed profound unhappiness over the awful event”.

He provided his “genuine condolences” to residents, state authorities and the “grieving households who have lost their precious children”.

He urged the “Oyo State federal government to take every required measure to avoid such a tragedy from persisting”, the declaration by the presidency added.

“Among the necessary actions are an extensive review of all public occasions’ security steps, rigorous enforcement of security guidelines, and regular security audits of occasion locations,” Tinubu included.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has actually seen numerous deadly stampedes in current months.

In March, 2 trainees died and 23 were injured after being crushed as thousands gathered free of charge bags of rice given out by local authorities at Nasarawa State University, in central Nigeria.

Later that month, another stampede four ladies who had been waiting outside the office of a rich business owner in the northern city of Bauchi to gather 5,000 naira ($3.40) cash gifts to assist pay for food during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Witnesses stated members of the crowd pressed to acquire the money, causing a stampede, as Nigeria faced 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 households and loved ones impacted by this tragedy. May the souls of the left rest in peace,” Makinde stated.

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