This aerial photo shows a general view of the city of Ibadan in southwestern Nigeria, where the event took place
A stampede at a school funfair in the southwestern Nigerian city of Ibadan has killed 35 children and seriously injured six others, police said on Thursday.
The hurt children were getting medical attention following the event, which happened on Wednesday in Nigeria’s third-largest city, Oyo State Police Command stated.
“8 individuals have actually given that been apprehended for their various 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 added.
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu on Thursday in a declaration “revealed profound unhappiness over the terrible incident”.
He used his “wholehearted condolences” to locals, state authorities and the “grieving families who have actually lost their precious kids”.
He prompted the “Oyo State government to take every required measure to avoid such a disaster from returning”, the declaration by the presidency added.
“Among the important actions are an extensive evaluation of all public occasions’ security steps, strict enforcement of safety regulations, and routine security audits of occasion venues,” Tinubu included.
– ‘Rest in peace’ –
Nigeria has actually seen numerous fatal stampedes in recent months.
In March, 2 trainees died and 23 were hurt after being squashed as thousands collected for complimentary bags of rice given out by regional authorities at Nasarawa State University, in central Nigeria.
Later that month, another stampede eliminated four ladies who had actually been waiting outside the office of a rich entrepreneur in the northern city of Bauchi to gather 5,000 naira ($3.40) money presents to help spend for food throughout the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Witnesses said members of the crowd pressed to the cash, causing a stampede, as Nigeria came to grips with its worst economic crisis 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 families and enjoyed ones impacted by this tragedy. May the souls of the departed rest in peace,” Makinde said.
“We sympathise with the moms and dads whose joy has all of a sudden been turned to mourning due to these deaths,” he added.
