Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

This shows 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 killed 35 children and seriously injured 6 others, cops said on Thursday.

The hurt children were getting medical attention following the occurrence, which took location on Wednesday in Nigeria’s third-largest city, Oyo State Police Command stated.

“8 individuals have actually because been jailed for their various participations”, authorities representative Adewale Osifeso said in a statement.

Among those apprehended 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 included.

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

He offered his “wholehearted acknowledgements” to residents, state authorities and the “mourning families who have lost their cherished kids”.

He prompted the “Oyo State government to take every necessary measure to prevent such a tragedy from returning”, the statement by the presidency added.

“Among the necessary actions are a thorough review of all public events’ precaution, stringent enforcement of safety policies, and regular security audits of event places,” Tinubu added.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has seen numerous fatal stampedes in recent months.

In March, two trainees passed away and 23 were injured after being squashed as thousands collected for totally free bags of rice handed out by regional authorities at Nasarawa State University, in central Nigeria.

Later that month, another stampede killed four females who had been waiting outside the office of a wealthy entrepreneur in the northern city of Bauchi to gather 5,000 naira ($3.40) cash presents to help pay for food throughout the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Witnesses stated members of the crowd pushed to get hold of the money, triggering a stampede, as Nigeria faced 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 stay with the households and liked ones affected by this catastrophe. May the souls of the departed rest in peace,” Makinde said.

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