Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

This aerial picture shows a basic view of the city of Ibadan in southwestern Nigeria, where the incident happened

A stampede at a school funfair in the southwestern Nigerian city of Ibadan has actually killed 35 children and seriously injured six others, authorities said on Thursday.

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

“8 individuals have actually because been apprehended for their numerous participations”, authorities spokesperson Adewale Osifeso stated in a .

Among those detained was the main sponsor of the occasion 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 declaration “revealed extensive sadness over the terrible event”.

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

He advised the “Oyo State government to take every needed measure to avoid such a catastrophe from persisting”, the declaration by the presidency included.

“Among the important actions are a detailed review of all public occasions’ precaution, rigorous enforcement of safety policies, and regular security audits of event places,” Tinubu added.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has seen numerous lethal stampedes in current months.

In March, 2 trainees passed away and 23 were hurt after being crushed as thousands gathered free of charge bags of rice handed out by regional authorities at Nasarawa State University, in main Nigeria.

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

Witnesses stated members of the crowd pressed to get hold of the money, triggering a stampede, as Nigeria faced 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 households and liked ones impacted by this catastrophe. May the souls of the left rest in peace,” Makinde said.

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