Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

This aerial photo shows a basic view of the city of Ibadan in southwestern Nigeria, where the event took place

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

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

“8 persons have actually given that been arrested for their various participations”, cops spokesperson Adewale Osifeso stated in a statement.

Among those was the main sponsor of the event 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 “revealed extensive unhappiness over the tragic incident”.

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

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

“Among the necessary actions are an extensive evaluation of all public events’ precaution, stringent enforcement of security regulations, and routine security audits of occasion places,” Tinubu included.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has actually seen several deadly stampedes in current months.

In March, two trainees died and 23 were harmed after being squashed as thousands gathered totally free bags of rice distributed by regional authorities at Nasarawa State University, in central 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) money presents to help pay for food during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Witnesses said members of the crowd pressed 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 liked ones impacted by this tragedy. May the souls of the departed rest in peace,” Makinde stated.

“We sympathise with the parents whose pleasure has all of a sudden been turned to mourning due to these deaths,” he included.