35 children died at a fair in Nigeria

Thirty-five children died in a stampede at a fair in the southwestern Nigerian city of Ibadan, and six more were hospitalized, police said.

The event was advertised as free entry and drew a large crowd, but so many people turned up that there was a stampede as they struggled to make their way through.

Residents said more than 5,000 children had gathered at the site and there was a stampede when the main organizers arrived to kick off the event.

The sequence of events that led to the debacle has not been revealed.

Police say they have arrested eight people behind the event, including the main organizer, Naomi Silekunola, a well-known figure in the city.

The Oyo State Government said the victims have been taken to hospitals across Ibadan for treatment after the attack at the Islamic Secondary School in Basharun area of ​​the city.

It said there were “numerous casualties and injuries”.

Authorities urged parents worried about their children’s whereabouts to check with city hospitals.