At least 35 children lost their lives, and six others were critically injured in a tragic crowd crush at a funfair held in the southwestern Nigerian city of Ibadan on Wednesday, according to local police. The incident, described as a catastrophic failure in crowd management, has sparked nationwide grief and calls for accountability.
Eight individuals, including the event’s main sponsor, have been arrested in connection with the tragedy, the Oyo State Police Command confirmed in a statement on Thursday. The event, organized by Women in Need of Guidance and Support (WING), was intended to be a free gathering for children under the age of 13, offering activities and prizes such as scholarships. Organizers had anticipated a turnout of approximately 5,000 children, but the lack of adequate safety measures led to chaos and ultimately the loss of young lives.
Local radio station Agidigbo FM reported that the venue became overcrowded, leading to a deadly stampede. Witnesses described harrowing scenes of children trapped in the surge, as emergency responders struggled to manage the aftermath.
Presidential and State Responses
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu expressed his condolences through a statement released by his spokesperson. “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,” the statement read.
The president also urged the Oyo State Government to take immediate steps to ensure that such incidents are not repeated.
Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde described the day as one of profound sorrow. “We sympathize with the parents whose joy has suddenly been turned to mourning due to these deaths,” he wrote on Facebook. “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.”
Ongoing Investigations
The case has been transferred to the homicide section of the state’s criminal investigation department, which has pledged to leave no stone unturned. “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,” a police spokesperson said.
A History of Deadly Crowd Surges in Nigeria
This incident is not the first crowd-related tragedy in Nigeria, a nation of over 236 million people. In February 2024, a similar crush occurred when people surged to claim discounted rice distributed by the Nigeria Customs Service in Lagos.
In 2022, 30 people, many of them children, died during a crowd crush at a church charity event in Port Harcourt. Earlier, in 2019, a political rally organized by the then-president saw at least four fatalities due to overcrowding.
As the nation mourns the Ibadan victims, the focus remains on ensuring accountability and implementing stricter crowd control measures to prevent future tragedies.
