Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

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

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

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

“8 persons have actually considering that been arrested for their various participations”, cops representative Adewale Osifeso said in a declaration.

Among those detained was the primary sponsor of the occasion at the Basorun Islamic High School, which was arranged 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 declaration “expressed profound unhappiness over the tragic event”.

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

He advised the “Oyo State federal government to take every necessary procedure to avoid such a catastrophe from returning”, the declaration by the added.

“Among the necessary actions are an extensive review of all public occasions’ safety steps, strict enforcement of safety regulations, and regular security audits of event venues,” Tinubu included.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has seen several lethal stampedes in current months.

In March, two trainees passed away and 23 were injured after being squashed as thousands collected for free bags of rice handed out by local authorities at Nasarawa State University, in central Nigeria.

Later that month, another stampede eliminated 4 females who had been waiting outside the office of a wealthy businessman in the northern city of Bauchi to collect 5,000 naira ($3.40) money presents to help pay 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 recession 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 enjoyed ones affected by this catastrophe. May the souls of the departed rest in peace,” Makinde said.

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