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Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

This aerial picture reveals a basic view of the city of Ibadan in southwestern Nigeria, where the occurrence took place

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

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

“8 individuals have given that been detained for their various participations”, police representative Adewale Osifeso stated in a declaration.

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

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu on Thursday in a “revealed extensive sadness over the tragic occurrence”.

He provided his “sincere condolences” to residents, state authorities and the “grieving households who have lost their cherished children”.

He prompted the “Oyo State federal government to take every essential procedure to avoid such a disaster from repeating”, the declaration by the presidency added.

“Among the necessary actions are a thorough evaluation of all public events’ safety procedures, strict enforcement of security regulations, and routine security audits of occasion places,” Tinubu added.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has actually seen numerous deadly stampedes in recent months.

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

Later that month, another stampede eliminated 4 ladies who had been waiting outside the office of a rich business person in the northern city of Bauchi to collect 5,000 naira ($3.40) money presents to help spend for food throughout the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Witnesses said members of the crowd pressed to get hold of the cash, causing a stampede, as Nigeria grappled with its worst financial 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 families and liked ones affected by this tragedy. May the souls of the left rest in peace,” Makinde stated.

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