Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

This aerial photograph shows a general view of the city of Ibadan in southwestern Nigeria, where the occurrence took place

A stampede at a school funfair in the southwestern Nigerian city of Ibadan has actually killed 35 kids and seriously injured 6 others, police said on Thursday.

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

“8 persons have given that been jailed for their different participations”, authorities spokesperson Adewale Osifeso stated 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 Department has opened a probe, Osifeso added.

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

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

He advised the “Oyo State government to take every necessary measure to avoid such a disaster from repeating”, the statement by the presidency added.

“Among the vital actions are a thorough evaluation of all public events’ precaution, stringent enforcement of safety policies, and routine security audits of occasion places,” Tinubu added.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has actually seen numerous deadly stampedes in recent months.

In March, two students died and 23 were hurt after being crushed as thousands collected totally free bags of rice handed out by regional authorities at Nasarawa State University, in main Nigeria.

Later that month, another stampede killed 4 women who had been waiting outside the office of a rich business owner in the northern city of Bauchi to collect 5,000 naira ($3.40) cash presents to assist pay for food during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Witnesses stated members of the crowd pushed to acquire the cash, triggering a stampede, as Nigeria grappled with 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 remain with the families and liked ones impacted by this catastrophe. May the souls of the departed rest in peace,” Makinde stated.

“We sympathise with the parents whose joy has actually unexpectedly been turned to mourning due to these deaths,” he added.