Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

This aerial photo reveals 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 actually killed 35 children and seriously hurt six others, authorities stated on Thursday.

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

“8 individuals have actually since been detained for their different participations”, police representative Adewale Osifeso stated in a statement.

Among those apprehended was the primary sponsor of the event 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 included.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu on Thursday in a statement “expressed profound sadness over the awful incident”.

He used his “genuine condolences” to residents, state authorities and the “mourning households who have lost their beloved children”.

He prompted the “Oyo State federal government to take every necessary procedure to avoid such a catastrophe from reoccurring”, the statement by the .

“Among the vital actions are an extensive review of all public events’ precaution, rigorous enforcement of security guidelines, and routine security audits of occasion places,” Tinubu added.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has seen several fatal stampedes in recent months.

In March, two trainees died and 23 were harmed after being squashed as thousands gathered free of charge bags of rice given out by regional authorities at Nasarawa State University, in main Nigeria.

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

Witnesses said members of the crowd pressed to get hold of the cash, triggering a stampede, as Nigeria grappled with its worst recession in a generation.

Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde had shared his acknowledgements 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 said.

“We sympathise with the parents whose delight has all of a sudden been turned to grieving due to these deaths,” he added.