Police in Nigeria have arrested eight people in connection with a stampede at a school funfair in the southwestern Nigerian city of Ibadan that killed 35 children and seriously injured six others.
The stampede occured on Wednesday at the Islamic High School in Ibadan, Nigeria's third-largest city, Oyo State Police Command said.
Thousands of people had gathered at the school for an event organised for local families.
Police officials said they believed the surge began after the organisers – the Wings Foundation and Agidigbo FM radio – started distributing food and gifts.
According to local radio, the event programme said children would "win exciting prizes like scholarships and other bountiful gifts”.
Nigeria is grappling with its worst economic crisis in a generation.
The injured children were receiving medical attention.
Eight people have been arrested, including the main sponsor of the event, police spokesperson Adewale Osifeso said in a statement.
The Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department has opened a probe, Osifeso added.
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'Tragic incident'
Oyo state governor, Seyi Makinde, expressed his condolences. “Our hearts remain with the families and loved ones impacted by this tragedy. May the souls of the departed rest in peace,” he wrote on X.
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu expressed his "profound sadness over the tragic incident" in a statement on Thursday.
He urged the Oyo State government to take necessary measures to prevent such a tragedy from reoccurring, calling for a comprehensive review of all public events' safety measures, strict enforcement of safety regulations, and regular safety audits of event venues".
Nigeria has seen several deadly stampedes in recent months.
In March, two students died and 23 were injured after being crushed by crowds that had gathered to collect free bags of rice at Nasarawa State University, in central Nigeria.
Also in March, four women were crushed to death in the northern city of Bauchi where they had been waiting outside the office of a wealthy businessman to pick up cash gifts to help pay for food during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
(with AFP)
