Nigeria School Fair Stampede Kills 35 Children

This aerial picture reveals a basic view of the city of Ibadan in southwestern Nigeria, where the incident took place

A stampede at a school funfair in the southwestern Nigerian city of Ibadan has actually killed 35 and seriously injured 6 others, authorities stated on Thursday.

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

“8 individuals have actually because been jailed for their numerous participations”, police spokesperson Adewale Osifeso said in a statement.

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 opened a probe, Osifeso included.

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu on Thursday in a declaration “expressed extensive unhappiness over the awful incident”.

He provided his “genuine condolences” to locals, state authorities and the “grieving households who have actually lost their precious kids”.

He advised the “Oyo State federal government to take every essential step to avoid such a disaster from returning”, the declaration by the presidency added.

“Among the vital actions are a thorough evaluation of all public events’ precaution, stringent enforcement of security guidelines, and routine security audits of occasion places,” Tinubu included.

– ‘Rest in peace’ –

Nigeria has actually seen several lethal stampedes in recent months.

In March, 2 students passed away and 23 were harmed after being squashed as thousands collected free of charge bags of rice distributed by regional authorities at Nasarawa State University, in central Nigeria.

Later that month, another stampede eliminated four women who had actually been waiting outside the office of a wealthy business owner in the northern city of Bauchi to collect 5,000 naira ($3.40) money presents to assist spend for food during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Witnesses stated members of the crowd pushed to acquire the cash, triggering a stampede, as Nigeria came to grips with its worst recession in a generation.

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

“Our hearts stay with the families and loved ones impacted by this disaster. May the souls of the left rest in peace,” Makinde said.

“We sympathise with the parents whose happiness has suddenly been turned to grieving due to these deaths,” he added.