Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

This aerial picture reveals a general 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 killed 35 and seriously hurt 6 others, police stated on Thursday.

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

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

Among those apprehended was the main sponsor of the event 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 “expressed extensive sadness over the tragic incident”.

He offered his “heartfelt condolences” to residents, state authorities and the “mourning households who have lost their cherished children”.

He prompted the “Oyo State government to take every essential measure to prevent such a catastrophe from repeating”, the statement by the presidency included.

“Among the necessary actions are a thorough evaluation of all public events’ safety steps, stringent enforcement of security regulations, and routine safety audits of event venues,” Tinubu added.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has actually seen several lethal stampedes in recent months.

In March, two students passed away and 23 were injured after being crushed as thousands collected 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 workplace of a rich businessman in the northern city of Bauchi to collect 5,000 naira ($3.40) cash gifts to help pay for food throughout the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Witnesses stated members of the crowd pushed to acquire the cash, triggering a stampede, as Nigeria grappled with its worst economic crisis in a generation.

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

“Our hearts remain with the households and liked ones affected by this catastrophe. May the souls of the left rest in peace,” Makinde said.

“We sympathise with the moms and dads whose pleasure has actually unexpectedly been turned to mourning due to these deaths,” he included.