Tragedy struck at the Children’s Fun Fair Party held at Islamic High School, Basorun, Ibadan, as a stampede claimed the lives of many attendees and left several others injured. Among those affected is the chairman of Agidigbo FM, Oriyomi Hamzat, who reportedly passed out from the shock of the incident and is currently hospitalized at an undisclosed location in Ibadan.
A source revealed that Hamzat was overwhelmed by the magnitude of the tragedy. In an audiovisual clip shared online, he recounted how he rushed to the scene to rescue victims after hearing about the incident, even admitting he went home in disarray, visibly shaken by the experience.
Hamzat expressed dismay over the conduct of some attendees, who were more focused on grabbing gifts than assisting the injured during the chaos. While he was not present at the event initially, he responded swiftly upon learning of the disaster.
He said:
FROM ORIYOMI HAMZAT: I went home nak*d yesterday with only my boxers. If not that they seized some people’s phones, my pictures would have been flying on the internet. I wept like a baby when I saw how people were falling on one another. As I was rescuing those that fell, more people were rushing and stepping on those that were on the ground because of small gifts. I pity Naomi and I pity myself. I will never do this again. The reason why I always collect money for my own children’s carnival is to regulate the crowd. People are greedy and selfish when it comes to free things. We invited kids, it was adults that showed up especially old people. Some people even came with two months old babies. We had to be looking for their mothers yesterday.
The Oyo State Police Command has confirmed that at least 35 people lost their lives in the Wednesday tragedy, with several others injured. Seven individuals connected to the stampede have been arrested, and the principal of the host school is also assisting with ongoing investigations.
Speaking on a radio program on Fresh 105.9 FM, Oyo State Police spokesperson Adewale Osifeso shared updates on the incident. He refrained from disclosing the identities of those arrested, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation.
Osifeso also issued a public advisory, urging event organizers to prioritize safety and security measures, particularly during festive seasons. He emphasized the need for vigilance at events that draw large crowds to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
