Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

This aerial photograph 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 killed 35 children and seriously injured six others, police stated on Thursday.

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

“8 individuals have considering that been detained for their numerous participations”, police spokesperson Adewale Osifeso said in a statement.

Among those detained was the main sponsor of the event 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 Tinubu on Thursday in a declaration “expressed profound unhappiness over the terrible occurrence”.

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

He urged the “Oyo State government to take every necessary procedure to avoid such a tragedy from returning”, the declaration by the presidency added.

“Among the important actions are a comprehensive evaluation of all public events’ precaution, stringent enforcement of safety regulations, and regular safety audits of occasion locations,” Tinubu added.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has seen a number of deadly stampedes in current months.

In March, two students died and 23 were injured after being squashed as thousands gathered for totally free bags of rice given out by local authorities at Nasarawa State University, in central Nigeria.

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

Witnesses stated 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 families and liked ones affected by this disaster. May the souls of the left rest in peace,” Makinde stated.

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