Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

This aerial photograph reveals a general view of the city of Ibadan in southwestern Nigeria, where the incident occurred

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

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

« 8 individuals have because been jailed for their various involvements », police spokesperson Adewale Osifeso said in a statement.

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 actually opened a probe, Osifeso included.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu on Thursday in a statement « expressed extensive unhappiness over the awful incident ».

He provided his « genuine condolences » to residents, state authorities and the « grieving families who have actually lost their cherished kids ».

He advised the « Oyo State federal government to take every needed step to prevent such a disaster from reoccurring », the declaration by the presidency included.

« Among the necessary actions are a comprehensive review of all public occasions’ safety procedures, stringent enforcement of safety guidelines, and routine security audits of occasion locations, » Tinubu added.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has actually seen a number of fatal stampedes in current months.

In March, 2 students passed away and 23 were hurt after being squashed as thousands gathered for free bags of rice handed out by local authorities at Nasarawa State University, in main Nigeria.

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

Witnesses said members of the crowd pushed to get hold of the cash, causing a stampede, as Nigeria faced its worst recession 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 enjoyed 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 suddenly been turned to mourning due to these deaths, » he included.