A stampede at a school fair in Nigeria killed 35 children on Thursday, local media reported.
The stampede occurred at a school in the town of Ibadan as participants rushed to enter the venue through the main gate. The fair was meant for 5,000 children but more than 7,000 attended.
Local TVC reported that the incident occurred after the private organisers of the event announced plans to distribute cash to 5,000 children, causing chaos and rush to get to a secondary school in Basorun area of Ibadan, where the carnival was being held on Wednesday morning.
Oyo State police have launched an investigation and arrested the main organisers of the event. Nigerian President Bola Tinubu expressed condolences to the families of the victims and called on the state government to review and strengthen security measures at public events.
The Oyo State government said the victims were taken to hospitals across Ibadan for medical attention after the incident. The authorities urged parents who were worried about the whereabouts of their children to go to hospitals in the city.
