It was wailing and gnashing of teeth for some parents whose children were lost to the stampede that occurred at a funfair organised by a former wife of the Ooni of Ife, Prophetess Naomi Shikemi, and an Ibadan-based broadcaster, Oriyomi Hamzat.
It was gathered that no fewer than 32 children lost their lives when commotion happened at the venue of the programme.
Eyewitnesses’ accounts revealed that the stampede occurred when participants rushed to gain access to the venue of the event which is said to be a school.
The victims were stampeded to death while trying to break through the main gate of the Islamic High School, Basorun, Ibadan, on Wednesday.
The programme was announced on radio and provision was said to have been made for 5,000 children but the number that turned up for the event was reportedly over 7, 500 as organizers could not manage the crowd.
No fewer than seven different hospitals were said to have admitted various children who collapsed at the venue while others were said to have suffered varying degrees of injuries.
Many parents were seen mourning the deaths of their children while some others were lucky as their affected wards survived after treatments.
Meanwhile, the management of Agidigbo FM, owned by Oriyomi Hamzat, clarified that Hazmat didn’t organise the event but only assisted in broadcasting it.
While sympathising with the victims in a statement signed by its Director of Programmes, Olayinka Abdulwahab, he said the management made frantic moves to sensitise the participants when it realised that the venue was crowded, expressing shock that it ended disastrously.
Meanwhile, Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has described the stampede as a disaster, disclosing that the organisers of the funfair had been arrested.
Makinde mourned those who lost their lives, promising to ensure thorough investigation of the matter and justice to the affected.
However, the Oyo State Police Command had commenced investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fatal stampede.
The spokesperson for the Command, Adewale Osifeso, said members of the public would be briefed as the probe progresses.
