Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

This aerial picture reveals a general 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 actually eliminated 35 children and seriously injured six others, police stated on Thursday.

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

“8 individuals have considering that been arrested for their various participations”, police representative Adewale Osifeso said in a statement.

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 opened a probe, Osifeso included.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu on Thursday in a declaration “expressed profound unhappiness over the awful occurrence”.

He used his “sincere acknowledgements” to locals, state authorities and the “mourning households who have actually lost their precious kids”.

He urged the “Oyo State government to take every required step to prevent such a catastrophe from returning”, the statement by the presidency included.

“Among the important actions are a comprehensive review of all public occasions’ safety measures, stringent enforcement of security regulations, and regular safety audits of event locations,” Tinubu added.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has actually seen numerous lethal stampedes in current months.

In March, two trainees passed away and 23 were hurt after being squashed as thousands collected free of charge bags of rice given out by local authorities at Nasarawa State University, in central Nigeria.

Later that month, another stampede eliminated four females who had been waiting outside the workplace of a rich businessman in the northern city of Bauchi to collect 5,000 naira ($3.40) cash gifts to help pay for food during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Witnesses said members of the crowd pushed to acquire the cash, causing a stampede, as Nigeria came to grips with its worst financial crisis in a generation.

Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde had shared his condolences 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 said.

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