Tragedy: Scores Of Parents, Children Dead In Ibadan Carnival Stampede
LAGOS DECEMBER 19TH (NEWSRANGERS)-A stampede in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, has claimed the lives of several persons, many of them children and left others with various degrees of injury.
Unverified reports claimed that over 30 children died.
The incident occurred at Islamic High School Bashorun, Ibadan, as over 20,000 people reportedly stormed the venue when provisions were made for only 5,000 people.
Though the children’s funfair was scheduled to hold yesterday, Daily Sun gathered that a crowd with their children stormed the venue on Tuesday evening and slept over till to be among the first 5,000 people that would benefit.
The programme was organised by a popular radio presenter in Ibadan with many sponsors, including a first-class queen in Yorubaland.
The stampede occurred when people tried to find their way to the front so that they could be among the beneficiaries.
The incident caused a traffic snarl in Bashorun area of Ibadan and also extended to General Gas and Olopomeji axis of Akobo and the Ibadan-Lagos Expressway.
Some passersby commented that the large turnout of people that led to the stampede showed the level of poverty and hunger in the country. Available information revealed that food items were among the things that the organisers of the programme wanted to distribute. It was further gathered that the children’s funfair could not hold based on the tragedy.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PRRO), Adewale Osifeso, did not confirm the number of casualties. He simply said: “Investigation is in progress. Updates would be provided accordingly, please.”
Meanwhile, Oyo State Government, in a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Prince Dotun Oyelade, has mourned the tragic loss of lives at the children’s carnival.
The incident caused a traffic snarl in Bashorun area of Ibadan and also extended to General Gas and Olopomeji axis of Akobo and the Ibadan-Lagos Expressway.
Some passersby commented that the large turnout of people that led to the stampede showed the level of poverty and hunger in the country. Available information revealed that food items were among the things that the organisers of the programme wanted to distribute. It was further gathered that the children’s funfair could not hold based on the tragedy.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PRRO), Adewale Osifeso, did not confirm the number of casualties. He simply said: “Investigation is in progress. Updates would be provided accordingly, please.”
Meanwhile, Oyo State Government, in a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Prince Dotun Oyelade, has mourned the tragic loss of lives at the children’s carnival.
He confirmed that a stampede occurred at the private children’s funfair leading to loss of lives, mostly children, with some others injured.
According to the statement, the state government swiftly mobilised a rapid response team, when the news broke.
The commissioner noted that victims were swiftly transported to various hospitals within the Ibadan metropolis for medical attention.
While appreciating the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, for immediately activating all available response teams to provide assistance at the scene of the incident, Prince Oyelade said the government would do all in its power to stand by victims.
The state government, he disclosed, was not involved in any of the planning, nor was the Ministry of Health requested to provide any logistics to support the private children’s end of the year funfair.
Oyelade indicated that the government was awaiting a detailed report from the Commissioner of Police to clarify the total number of victims involved in the incident.
He advised parents, who might be concerned about the whereabouts of their children, to check some medical facilities in Ibadan, where children affected were taken for proper medical attention with valid means of identification:
Daily Sun-Nigeria
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Posted by News Rangers
on Dec 19 2024. Filed under National.
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