Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

This aerial picture reveals 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 actually killed 35 kids and seriously hurt 6 others, on Thursday.

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

“8 persons have given that been detained for their different participations”, authorities spokesperson Adewale Osifeso stated in a statement.

Among those apprehended was the main 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 added.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu on Thursday in a declaration “revealed profound unhappiness over the awful event”.

He offered his “heartfelt acknowledgements” to residents, state authorities and the “grieving households who have lost their precious kids”.

He prompted the “Oyo State federal government to take every essential measure to avoid such a catastrophe from returning”, the statement by the presidency included.

“Among the important actions are a thorough review of all public occasions’ precaution, strict enforcement of safety guidelines, and routine security audits of event places,” Tinubu included.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

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

In March, 2 trainees died and 23 were injured after being squashed as thousands gathered for 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 actually been waiting outside the workplace of a rich business person in the northern city of Bauchi to collect 5,000 naira ($3.40) money gifts to assist spend for food during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Witnesses said members of the crowd pressed to acquire the money, causing a stampede, as Nigeria faced its worst recession 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 affected by this tragedy. May the souls of the left rest in peace,” Makinde said.

“We sympathise with the moms and dads whose happiness has actually all of a sudden been turned to grieving due to these deaths,” he included.