Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

This aerial picture shows 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 eliminated 35 kids and seriously hurt six others, police said on Thursday.

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

« 8 individuals have actually because been detained for their various participations », cops representative Adewale Osifeso stated in a declaration.

Among those detained was the primary 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 added.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu on Thursday in a declaration « expressed profound unhappiness over the terrible event ».

He used his « wholehearted condolences » to locals, state authorities and the « mourning families who have lost their cherished children ».

He urged the « Oyo State government to take every necessary procedure to prevent such a disaster from persisting », the declaration by the presidency added.

« Among the vital actions are a detailed review of all public occasions’ safety procedures, rigorous enforcement of security guidelines, and regular safety audits of occasion locations, » Tinubu added.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has seen a number of fatal stampedes in recent months.

In March, 2 trainees died and 23 were hurt after being squashed as thousands gathered totally free bags of rice handed out by local authorities at Nasarawa State University, in central Nigeria.

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

Witnesses said members of the crowd pressed to acquire the money, triggering a stampede, as Nigeria grappled with its worst financial crisis 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 loved ones affected by this disaster. 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 grieving due to these deaths, » he included.