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 occurred

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

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

“8 persons have given that been detained for their numerous involvements”, cops representative Adewale Osifeso said in a statement.

Among those detained 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 opened a probe, Osifeso added.

Bola Tinubu on Thursday in a declaration “expressed profound unhappiness over the terrible incident”.

He provided his “sincere acknowledgements” to residents, state authorities and the “grieving households who have lost their beloved kids”.

He urged the “Oyo State government to take every essential procedure to prevent such a disaster from repeating”, the statement by the presidency included.

“Among the important actions are a comprehensive evaluation of all public events’ precaution, stringent enforcement of safety guidelines, and routine safety audits of event locations,” Tinubu included.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has seen numerous lethal stampedes in current months.

In March, 2 trainees passed away and 23 were harmed after being crushed as thousands collected for complimentary bags of rice given out by local authorities at Nasarawa State University, in central Nigeria.

Later that month, another stampede killed four females who had actually been waiting outside the workplace of a rich business person in the northern city of Bauchi to gather 5,000 naira ($3.40) money gifts to assist spend for food during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Witnesses stated members of the crowd pressed to get hold of the money, triggering a stampede, as Nigeria grappled with its worst economic 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 enjoyed ones impacted by this tragedy. May the souls of the departed rest in peace,” Makinde stated.

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