Govt mourns, deploys Rapid Response Team
A hunger stampede, which occurred earlier today – Wednesday, December 18 – in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, has claimed the lives of many children, while many others were injured.
The incident occurred at Islamic High School Bashorun, Ibadan, as close to 20,000 people reportedly stormed the venue when provisions were made only for 5,000 people.
Though the children’s funfair was scheduled to hold on Wednesday, it was gathered that a crowd of people with their children stormed the venue of the programme on Tuesday (yesterday, December 17) evening and slept over till this morning obviously so they would be among the first 5,000 people to benefit from the largesse expected to come out of the programme.
According to reports, the programme was organised by a popular radio presenter in Ibadan, with many sponsors, including a first-class queen in Yorubaland.
On Wednesday morning, it was further gathered, many people also came to the venue with their children.
The stampede occurred when people tried to find their way to the front so that they could be among the beneficiaries.
Unverified reports said 30 to 40 children were involved in the stampede. Some people claimed that 30 to 40 children died, while some eyewitnesses said not all of them died. But they confirmed that all the children that were involved were taken to hospital.
However, the actual numbers of children that lost their lives and those that were injured were still unknown as at the time of filing this report.
The incident caused traffic snarls in the Bashorun area of Ibadan, which also extended to General Gas and Olopomeji parts of Akobo, as well as 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 to people.
However, the children’s funfair could not be held owing to the tragedy.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PRRO) for the state, Adewale Osifeso, did not confirm the number of casualties.
He simply said: “Investigation is in progress. Updates would be provided accordingly, please.”
Meanwhile, the 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, which was scheduled to be held at Islamic High School, Bashorun, which led to loss of lives, mostly children, with some others injured in the early hours of Wednesday.
According to the statement, the State government swiftly mobilised a rapid response team, following the breaking of the incident.
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 in the statement, said the State government would do all in its power to stand by victims of the fateful incident through this trying period.
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.
It emphasised the importance of proper coordination when organising events of such magnitude, especially those involving children and elders.
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 some affected children had been taken to for proper medical attention with valid means of identification:
The hospitals include Patnas Hospital, Basorun; Western Hospital, Basorun; Ringroad State Hospital; Molly Specialist Hospital; and University College Hospital (UCH).
The statement further said that the Oyo State government extended its deepest sympathies to the families affected by the tragedy, while also urging the public to “remain calm and cooperative as relevant pieces of information are gathered and necessary support is arranged for the victims.”
