Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

This aerial picture shows a basic view of the city of Ibadan in southwestern Nigeria, where the occurrence happened

A stampede at a school funfair in the southwestern Nigerian city of Ibadan has eliminated 35 kids and seriously hurt 6 others, authorities said on Thursday.

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

“8 persons have actually because been detained for their various involvements”, authorities representative Adewale Osifeso said in a declaration.

Among those detained was the main sponsor of the occasion 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 declaration “expressed extensive sadness over the tragic occurrence”.

He provided his “heartfelt condolences” to residents, state authorities and the “grieving families who have actually lost their precious children”.

He urged the “Oyo State government to take every needed procedure to prevent such a disaster from returning”, the declaration by the presidency added.

“Among the important actions are an extensive review of all public events’ security steps, strict enforcement of security guidelines, and regular security audits of event locations,” Tinubu included.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has actually seen a number of lethal stampedes in recent months.

In March, 2 students passed away and 23 were hurt after being squashed as thousands collected free of charge bags of rice given out by local authorities at Nasarawa State University, in central Nigeria.

Later that month, another stampede killed 4 women who had actually been waiting outside the workplace of a wealthy businessman in the northern city of Bauchi to gather 5,000 naira ($3.40) money gifts to help pay for food throughout the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Witnesses said members of the crowd pushed to acquire the cash, a stampede, as Nigeria came to grips 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 loved ones impacted by this disaster. May the souls of the departed rest in peace,” Makinde said.

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