Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

This aerial photo reveals a general 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 children and seriously hurt six others, police stated on Thursday.

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

« 8 persons have actually since been detained for their different participations », authorities representative Adewale Osifeso said in a declaration.

Among those apprehended was the primary 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 actually opened a probe, Osifeso added.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu on Thursday in a statement « revealed extensive sadness over the awful incident ».

He used his « sincere condolences » to residents, state authorities and the « grieving households who have lost their cherished kids ».

He prompted the « Oyo State federal government to take every needed measure to prevent such a catastrophe from repeating », the declaration by the presidency included.

« Among the important actions are a thorough evaluation of all public occasions’ precaution, rigorous enforcement of safety regulations, and routine security audits of occasion locations, » Tinubu included.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has seen a number of in current months.

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

Later that month, another stampede eliminated 4 females who had been waiting outside the workplace of a wealthy entrepreneur in the northern city of Bauchi to gather 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 pressed to acquire the cash, causing a stampede, as Nigeria came to grips with its worst economic crisis in a generation.

Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde had actually shared his acknowledgements for the Ibadan victims on X on Wednesday.

« Our hearts stay with the families and enjoyed ones affected by this tragedy. May the souls of the departed rest in peace, » Makinde said.

« We sympathise with the moms and dads whose pleasure has actually unexpectedly been turned to mourning due to these deaths, » he added.