A yet-to-be-ascertained number of children have reportedly lost thier lives in a stampede that occurred during a children’s carnival in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Dotun Oyelade, confirmed that the stampede occurred at a private children’s funfair at Basorun Islamic High School.
Oyelade stated that, following the breaking of the incident,
the government swiftly mobilised a rapid response team which saw to the prompt transportation of victims to various hospitals within the Ibadan metropolis for medical attention.
While appreciating the Commissioner for Health for immediately activating all available response teams to assist at the scene, Oyelade assured that the state government will do all it can to support the victims of the tragic incident during this difficult period.
He stared however, that, ‘the government was not involved in any planning, nor was the Ministry of Health asked to provide logistics for the private children’s end-of-year funfair.”
Oyelade indicated that they were awaiting a detailed report from the Commissioner of Police to clarify the total number of victims involved in this unfortunate incident.
He urged parents who are concerned about the whereabouts of their children to check the following medical facilities in Ibadan, where affected children have been taken for proper medical care, with valid means of identification:
Patnas Hospital, Basorun; Western Hospital, Basorun; Ringroad State Hospital; Molly Specialist Hospital; and the University College Hospital, Ibadan.
He extended the government’s deepest sympathies to the families affected by this tragedy, and urged the public to remain calm as relevant information is gathered and necessary support arranged for the victims.
The cause of the stampede is not yet clear as at the time of filing this report.
