Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

This aerial photograph reveals a general view of the city of Ibadan in southwestern Nigeria, where the occurrence occurred

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

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

“8 persons have actually considering that been jailed for their different involvements”, police representative Adewale Osifeso said in a declaration.

Among those detained was the primary sponsor of the event 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.

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday in a statement “revealed profound sadness over the awful incident”.

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

He urged the “Oyo State federal government to take every essential procedure to avoid such a disaster from reoccurring”, the declaration by the presidency added.

“Among the essential actions are a detailed evaluation of all public events’ precaution, strict enforcement of security policies, and regular safety audits of event locations,” Tinubu added.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has seen several 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 handed out by local 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 wealthy businessman in the northern city of Bauchi to collect 5,000 naira ($3.40) cash gifts to help spend for food throughout the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Witnesses stated members of the crowd pushed to get hold of the cash, causing a stampede, as Nigeria grappled 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 households and liked ones impacted by this tragedy. May the souls of the left rest in peace,” Makinde stated.

“We sympathise with the parents whose pleasure has actually suddenly been turned to grieving due to these deaths,” he included.