Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

This aerial photograph shows a general view of the city of Ibadan in southwestern Nigeria, where the event happened

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

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

“8 persons have actually since been arrested for their different participations”, authorities spokesperson Adewale Osifeso stated in a declaration.

Among those apprehended 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 actually opened a probe, Osifeso included.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu on Thursday in a statement “expressed profound sadness over the terrible event”.

He provided his “heartfelt acknowledgements” to locals, state authorities and the “mourning households who have actually lost their cherished children”.

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

“Among the important actions are a comprehensive review of all public occasions’ precaution, stringent enforcement of safety regulations, and routine security audits of occasion places,” Tinubu included.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has seen numerous lethal stampedes in current months.

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

Later that month, another stampede eliminated 4 women who had actually been waiting outside the office of a rich business person in the northern city of Bauchi to collect 5,000 naira ($3.40) money gifts to help spend for food throughout the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Witnesses said members of the crowd pushed to acquire the money, causing a stampede, as Nigeria came to grips with 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 remain with the families and enjoyed ones affected by this disaster. May the souls of the departed rest in peace,” Makinde said.

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