Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

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

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

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

“8 persons have actually considering that been detained for their numerous participations”, cops representative Adewale Osifeso said in a statement.

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 included.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu on Thursday in a statement “expressed profound unhappiness over the terrible event”.

He provided his “wholehearted acknowledgements” to residents, state authorities and the “grieving families who have lost their precious kids”.

He urged the “Oyo State federal government to take every required step to prevent such a tragedy from repeating”, the declaration by the presidency included.

“Among the vital actions are an extensive evaluation of all public events’ security steps, strict enforcement of safety guidelines, and routine safety audits of occasion venues,” Tinubu added.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has seen several deadly stampedes in recent months.

In March, 2 students passed away and 23 were harmed after being as thousands collected totally free bags of rice handed out by local authorities at Nasarawa State University, in main Nigeria.

Later that month, another stampede killed four females who had been waiting outside the office of a rich entrepreneur 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 stated members of the crowd pressed to acquire the cash, causing a stampede, as Nigeria came to grips 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 households and loved ones affected by this tragedy. May the souls of the left rest in peace,” Makinde stated.

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