Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

This aerial picture 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 eliminated 35 kids and seriously hurt 6 others, cops said on Thursday.

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

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

Among those apprehended was the main 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 actually opened a probe, Osifeso added.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu on Thursday in a statement “revealed extensive sadness over the terrible incident”.

He used his “wholehearted acknowledgements” to residents, state authorities and the “mourning families who have actually lost their beloved children”.

He advised the “Oyo State federal government to take every required step to prevent such a disaster from repeating”, the statement by the presidency added.

“Among the necessary actions are an extensive evaluation of all public occasions’ precaution, stringent enforcement of safety regulations, and routine security audits of event venues,” Tinubu included.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has seen numerous fatal stampedes in current months.

In March, two students passed away and 23 were hurt after being squashed as thousands gathered totally free bags of rice by local authorities at Nasarawa State University, in central Nigeria.

Later that month, another stampede killed four females who had actually been waiting outside the workplace of a rich entrepreneur in the northern city of Bauchi to collect 5,000 naira ($3.40) cash presents to help spend for food throughout the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Witnesses stated members of the crowd pressed to acquire the cash, triggering a stampede, as Nigeria faced its worst financial crisis 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 households and liked ones affected by this tragedy. May the souls of the left rest in peace,” Makinde stated.

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