Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

This aerial picture shows a basic 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 actually killed 35 kids and seriously injured 6 others, cops stated on Thursday.

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

“8 individuals have since been apprehended for their numerous involvements”, police spokesperson Adewale Osifeso said in a declaration.

Among those detained 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 opened a probe, Osifeso added.

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

He provided his “wholehearted acknowledgements” to residents, state authorities and the “grieving households who have actually lost their precious children”.

He advised the “Oyo State government to take every needed measure to prevent such a catastrophe from repeating”, the statement by the presidency added.

“Among the important actions are a detailed evaluation of all public occasions’ precaution, strict enforcement of safety guidelines, and regular security audits of occasion locations,” Tinubu added.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has seen several deadly stampedes in current months.

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

Later that month, another stampede killed four females who had actually been waiting outside the office of a in the northern city of Bauchi to gather 5,000 naira ($3.40) money gifts to help pay for food during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Witnesses stated members of the crowd pressed to get hold of 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 stay with the households and liked ones impacted by this tragedy. May the souls of the departed rest in peace,” Makinde said.

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