I regret taking my children to Ibadan Christmas funfair, says mother of victim

A mother of a victim of the Ibadan funfair stampede, who simply identified herself as ‘Iya Ayomide’ on Thursday, said over a hundred people died at the stampede that happened at the event which took place at Islamic High School, Bashorun, Ibadan.

The woman, whose child was affected at the event, spoke with journalists at the Adeoyo State Specialist Hospital, Ibadan, where her three-and-a-half-year-old child is receiving treatment.

The woman said she regretted going to the funfair.

She said, “I am a hairdresser. I got to the place before 6:00 a.m. on that day with my two children. We were at the gate waiting when Oriyomi Hamzat came, and he asked them to open the gate.

“As the gate was open, people rushed in and began to fall upon one another. One of my children was affected. My neighbour that we went there together even lost her child. Over 100 children died at the stampede. My child is receiving treatment at this hospital, Adeoyo State Specialist Hospital. I regret going to that funfair. I will not try such again.”

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Medical Advisory Council [CMAC] of the hospital, Dr Adeoye Allen-Taylor, said four children were on admission to the hospital.

Allen-Taylor said they were responding to treatment.