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 occurred

A stampede at a school funfair in the southwestern of Ibadan has actually killed 35 kids and seriously hurt 6 others, cops stated on Thursday.

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

“8 individuals have actually given that been apprehended for their different involvements”, authorities spokesperson Adewale Osifeso stated 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 actually opened a probe, Osifeso included.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu on Thursday in a statement “expressed extensive sadness over the tragic event”.

He offered his “wholehearted condolences” to locals, state authorities and the “grieving families who have lost their precious kids”.

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

“Among the necessary actions are an extensive review of all public events’ safety steps, rigorous enforcement of security guidelines, and regular security audits of occasion places,” Tinubu added.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has actually seen a number of fatal stampedes in current months.

In March, 2 students died and 23 were injured after being squashed as thousands gathered free of charge bags of rice handed out by local authorities at Nasarawa State University, in main Nigeria.

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

Witnesses stated members of the crowd pushed to get hold of the money, causing a stampede, as Nigeria grappled with its worst financial crisis 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 families and enjoyed ones impacted by this disaster. May the souls of the left rest in peace,” Makinde stated.

“We sympathise with the moms and dads whose happiness has unexpectedly been turned to grieving due to these deaths,” he added.