Tragic stampede at Nigerian school fair claims lives of 35 children

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites
20 Dec 2024 09:16

Eight individuals have been arrested in connection with a tragic incident at Basorun Islamic High School in Ibadan, where a deadly crowd crush occurred during a school fair.

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The aftermath of a stampede at a religious festival for young people in Ibadan, Nigeria. (AP)

At least 35 children lost their lives, and six others were critically injured in a stampede during a school fair in Ibadan, Nigeria’s third-largest city.

Authorities have arrested eight individuals in connection with the tragedy, citing their involvement in the incident. Among those detained is the primary sponsor of the event, held on Wednesday at Basorun Islamic High School and organized by the Wings Foundation and Agidigbo FM radio.

Adewale Osifeso, a spokesperson for the Oyo State Police, confirmed that a homicide investigation has been launched.

The Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, expressed his condolences on X, saying, “Our hearts remain with the families and loved ones impacted by this tragedy. May the souls of the departed rest in peace.”

“We sympathize with the parents whose joy has suddenly been turned to mourning due to these deaths,” he also said.

Statement by His Excellency Seyi Makinde Following the Stampede at Islamic High School, Basorun, Ibadan

Earlier today, an incident occurred in Islamic High School Basorun, the venue of an event organised for families. Sadly, a stampede at the venue has led to multiple loss of… pic.twitter.com/X8jYeaGK63
— Seyi Makinde (@seyiamakinde) December 18, 2024

Footage from the scene depicted a large crowd, mostly children, watching as others were carried away from an open field.

The tragic incident today at Nasarawa State University, where seven students reportedly died and several others were injured in a stampede while waiting for free rice distribution by the state governor, is a damning indictment of the economic distress ravaging the nation. 😢 pic.twitter.com/GvsWnKn3Sg
— EiE Nigeria (@EiENigeria) March 22, 2024

Local radio reported that as many as 5,000 young people had been expected at the event, which promised "exciting prizes" like scholarships and other generous gifts for children.

This year, Nigeria has seen several deadly crowd crushes. In March, two students were killed and 23 injured when thousands gathered for free rice distributions at Nasarawa State University in central Nigeria.

Later that month, four women lost their lives outside the office of a wealthy businessman in Bauchi, where a crowd had gathered to receive a cash gift of 5,000 naira (£2.70) to help with food expenses during Ramadan. Witnesses said the crowd surged as people rushed to grab the money, leading to a deadly crush.