THE Oyo State Government has described the death of scores of children killed during a stampede at a carnival in Ibadan, the state capital, on Wednesday, December 18, as a huge loss to the state.
The state Governor Seyi Makinde sympathised with the victims’ families in a statement and pledged a thorough investigation into the tragedy.
He said his government took steps to ensure no further deaths were recorded at the venue by deploying security agents to restore order at the venue.
He assured the state that anyone directly or remotely involved in the incident would be held accountable. He urged the people to remain calm as the security agencies investigate the incident.
Several reports indicate that 32 children died in the stampede that resulted from a large crowd of children who thronged a venue of an event where food and other items were to be shared.
The ICIR reports that a similar incident occurred in 2022 in Rivers State where the Police confirmed 31 persons dead in a stampede at the Kings Assembly Church located in the GRA axis of Port Harcourt, the state capital.
Seven other persons were injured in the incident.
The tragedy, which occurred on Saturday, May 28, 2022, reportedly resulted from a programme organised by the church where some gifts were to be shared with participants as part of the church’s fourth anniversary.
Reports indicate that the Ibadan calamity recorded a large casualty because parents sent their children much earlier than when the event was billed to start, with some of the parents accompanying their wards to the event venue.
The state’s commissioner for information and orientation, Dotun Oyelade, confirmed that the stampede occurred during a private children’s funfair held at Basorun Islamic High School in the state capital.
According to him, the incident occurred in the early hours of Wednesday, December 18, leading to the loss of several lives, most of whom were children, while others sustained injuries.
He said the state government swiftly mobilised a rapid response team to provide immediate assistance, adding that victims were promptly transported to various hospitals in Ibadan for medical care.
Meanwhile, Agidigbo FM, a radio station said to have organised the event in conjunction with the former wife of Ooni of Ife, Naomi Shikemi, denied organising the event.
The station urged the public to clarify information before spreading false claims.
It urged the government to investigate the incident thoroughly and ensure that those responsible for the tragedy are held accountable.
A reporter with the ICIR
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