Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

This shows 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, police said on Thursday.

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

“8 individuals have actually given that been jailed for their various involvements”, authorities spokesperson Adewale Osifeso stated in a statement.

Among those apprehended 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 statement “revealed extensive unhappiness over the tragic occurrence”.

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

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

“Among the important actions are an extensive evaluation of all public occasions’ safety steps, rigorous enforcement of safety guidelines, and routine safety audits of event locations,” Tinubu added.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has seen numerous deadly stampedes in current months.

In March, 2 students died and 23 were injured after being squashed as thousands gathered for complimentary bags of rice handed out by local authorities at Nasarawa State University, in central Nigeria.

Later that month, another stampede killed 4 ladies who had actually been waiting outside the office of a wealthy business owner in the northern city of Bauchi to gather 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 get hold of the cash, causing a stampede, as Nigeria came to grips with its worst recession in a generation.

Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde had actually shared his acknowledgements for the Ibadan victims on X on Wednesday.

“Our hearts stay with the households and liked ones impacted by this catastrophe. May the souls of the left rest in peace,” Makinde stated.

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