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President Bola Tinubu has expressed profound sadness over the tragic incident at the Children’s FunFair in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, which resulted in the loss of innocent lives and left many injured.
The president, in a release issued on Thursday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, extended his heartfelt condolences to the government and people of Oyo State, as well as to the grieving families who have lost their beloved children.
“In this moment of mourning, President Tinubu stands in solidarity with the affected families and offers prayers that the Almighty God will grant peace to the souls of those who have departed in this unfortunate event,” the statement said.
The president urgently directed the relevant authorities to investigate the circumstances of the tragedy thoroughly and emphasized that it is imperative to determine whether negligence or deliberate actions contributed to this painful incident, ensuring a transparent and accountable process.
President Tinubu urged the Oyo State Government to take every necessary measure to prevent such a tragedy from reoccurring.
Among the essential actions are a comprehensive review of all public events’ safety measures, strict enforcement of safety regulations and regular safety audits of event venues.
Furthermore, the president called on event organisers to prioritise the safety of all attendees, especially children.
He stressed the importance of integrating professional security, protocol and logistics at events to ensure the utmost safety of all participants.
“Our children’s safety and well-being remain paramount. No event should ever compromise their safety or take precedence over their lives,” President Tinubu asserted.
The Oyo State Police Command on Thursday said 35 children have been confirmed dead in the Ibadan Children Christmas Funfair tragedy that occurred on Wednesday.
This is just as it disclosed that six others were injured, while eight persons have been arrested in connection with the unfortunate incident.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Adewale Osifeso, stated these in a release on Thursday.
Several children were crushed to death during a stampede that occurred as the event was about to take off at the Islamic High School, Basorun, Ibadan.
Oyefeso, who stated in the release, said that the case has been transferred to the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department, Iyaganku for further investigation, also revealed the identity of the organisers of the event meant to put smiles on the faces of the victims of the unfortunate incident who were mostly children.
It also put to rest the involvement of Oriyomi Hamzat of Agidigbo FM, Ibadan as the police described his radio station as the media partners of the ill-fated Children Christmas Funfair.
The Police PRO further stated that among the eight people arrested were the main organiser, a former wife of the Ooni of Ife, Olori Naomi Silekunola and the principal of the school, Fasasi Abdulahi.
He said, “Sequel to the stampede incident recorded on Wednesday 18/12/2024 at the Islamic High School, Basorun, Ibadan venue of the family event organised by Wings Foundation and media partners, Agidigbo FM, the Oyo State Police Command wishes to inform the good people of the state that eight persons have since been arrested for their various involvements.
“These persons include the main event sponsor, Prophetess Naomi Silekunola ’f’ age 31yrs; Fasasi Abdulahi, ’m’ age 56yrs (School Principal Islamic High School, Ibadan); Genesis Christopher, ’m’ age 24yrs; Tanimowo Moruf, ’m’ age 52yrs; Anisolaja Olabode, ‘m’ age 42yrs; Idowu Ibrahim, ‘m’ age 35yrs; and Abiola Oluwatimilehin, ’m’ age 25yrs.
“So far thirty-five (35) minors have been documented dead, while six (6) others are critically injured and on various medical interventions.
“In furtherance of the above, the case has since been transferred to the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department, Iyaganku, with the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge leading the investigations.”
The Oyo State Police Command then advised residents around the Basorun axis not to panic “as they would witness high level patrols and visible police presence to prevent hoodlums from taking advantage of the unfortunate situation.”
The police also released some numbers through which the command can be reached in cases of emergency as follow: Oyo State Call Response Centre Toll Free Line: 615; Oyo State Police Command Control Room line(s): 08081768614, 09054133071 and 09061299291.
Mrs Tinubu commiserates with Governor Makinde over Ibadan stampede
In the same vein, the wife of the President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has commiserated with Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State over the recent stampede that claimed some lives during a concert in Ibadan.
The First Lady in a condolence message personally signed by her on Thursday stated, inter alia, “I condole with the Governor of Oyo State Engr Seyi Makinde and the people of Oyo State on the tragedy that occurred on Wednesday, 18th of December 2024 where the lives of many children were lost in a stampede.
“I sympathize with the family, friends, and loved ones of the deceased.
“I also pray for speedy recovery and total healing for those who are still in the hospital.
“May the Lord grant peace to Oyo state, comfort to the families who have lost their loved ones and hope to those grieving at this time.
“My heartfelt condolences go to all those affected by this devastating incident.”
Makinde, Ooni of Ife express sympathy
Also in a statement signed by the palace spokesman, Moses Olafare, the Palace of the Ooni of Ife expressed sympathy for the families of the deceased, stating, “We share in the grief and pain that have engulfed the affected families. We pray that Olodumare grants them the fortitude to bear this trying time.”
The Ooni of Ife palace also showed solidarity with the ex-queen, noting her “genuine care for children, which she demonstrated through similar events during her time as queen.” However, he called for immediate measures to prevent such tragedies in the future, emphasising the need for “adherence to safety standards and child welfare policies.”
Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, in a separate statement posted on X, announced that the state government had deployed security agents and medical personnel to restore order and attend to the injured.
“This is a very sad day for us here in Oyo State. We sympathize with the parents whose joy has suddenly been turned to mourning due to these deaths. We have ensured no further deaths are recorded at this venue by deploying security agents to restore order. We also deployed medical personnel and ambulances to the venue. The event has been stopped, and attendees have been escorted out of the venue. We are taking all realistic measures to ensure that the venue is secured.
“While investigations are ongoing, the primary organisers of the event that led to this stampede have been taken into custody. I want to reassure people that anyone directly or remotely involved in this disaster will be held accountable. Please remain calm as the security agencies investigate this unfortunate incident. Parents besiege hospitals as many children die in the Oyo Funfair stampede. Our hearts remain with the families and loved ones impacted by this tragedy. May the souls of the departed rest in peace,” he stated.
The event, tagged “Children’s Fun Fair 2024,” was advertised as a free celebration promising exciting prizes, scholarships, and entertainment for children aged 0 to 13. Many have argued that the absence of sufficient crowd control and medical provisions contributed to the tragic outcome.
Confirming the scale of the tragedy, a spokesperson for UCH Ibadan, Funmi Adetuyibi, stated that five children were brought to the hospital but were pronounced dead upon arrival. Meanwhile, victims were also admitted to other medical facilities, including Patnas Hospital, Western Hospital, and Ring Road State Hospital.
The report added that Agidigbo FM’s management, which partnered with Wings Foundation to promote the event, denied responsibility for organising the programme.
In a statement signed by its Director of Programmes, Olayinka Abdulwahab, the station expressed shock and extended condolences to the victims’ families.
The statement clarified, “Agidigbo FM is not the event organiser but one of the media outfits used to promote it. Upon receiving notice of the large crowd, we used all media strategies to sensitise the public and urge people to stop going to the venue.”
