Abuja [Nigeria], December 20 : At least 35 children were killed and six others critically injured in a crowd crush at a funfair in Nigeria on Wednesday, CNN reported, citing police.
An Oyo state police spokesperson said on Thursday that eight people have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the incident at the Islamic school in Ibadan. According to police, the event's main sponsor is among those who have been arrested.
The organizers of the event, identified as the Women in Need of Guidance and Support (WING), expected to host 5,000 children below the age of 13 years at the free event, where they could win prizes like scholarships, CNN reported, citing local radio station Agidigbo FM.
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu offered his condolences through a statement from his spokesperson, CNN reported citing state news agency NAN News. He also urged the Oyo State Government to take necessary steps to stop a similar tragedy from take place.
The statement said, "In this moment of mourning, President Tinubu stands in solidarity with the affected families and offers prayers that the Almighty God will grant peace to the souls of those who have departed in this unfortunate event."
Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde called it "a very sad day." In a statement shared on Facebook, he stated, "We sympathise with the parents whose joy has suddenly been turned to mourning due to these deaths."
Assuring people that action will be taken against those who were involved in the incident, Makinde stated, "I want to reassure our people that anyone directly or remotely involved in this disaster will be held accountable. Please remain calm as the security agencies investigate this unfortunate incident."
Police said that the case has been transferred to the homicide section of the state's criminal investigation department. The police spokesperson stated, "The Oyo State Police Command sympathizes with all the families and loved ones affected by the tragedy and assures the good people of the state that justice will be served accordingly."
In recent years, Nigeria, which has a population of over 236 million people, has witnessed several deadly crowd rushes. In February, the Nigeria Customs Service said that an unspecified number of people were trampled to death during a crowd surge as they waited for rice to be given at discounted rate at its office in Lagos, according to CNN report.
According to police and security officials, many children were among 30 people killed in a crowd crush at a church event in Port Harcourt in 2022. According to CNN report, officials said that at least four people were killed in a crush at a political rally held by Nigeria's President in 2019.
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