By Tobias Lengnan Dapam
SOS Children’s Villages said it is profoundly shaken and deeply saddened by the tragic stampede at Basorun Islamic High School in Ibadan, which claimed the lives of 35 young children and left several others injured.
It noted that similar incidents have resulted in 22 fatalities in Anambra and 10 in Abuja.
The organization in a statement issued on Tuesday by Rhoda Daniel Ocheche, Head of Brand and Communication – Nigeria, said, “Our thoughts are with the grieving families, the injured children, and all those affected by these devastating events.
“As an organization committed to safeguarding the rights and well-being of children, we find these tragedies unacceptable and avoidable especially for the children. Events intended to celebrate and uplift children must never end in sorrow. This heartbreaking incident emphasizes the urgent need to always prioritize the safety and protection of children in all spaces.
“The Child Rights Act 2003 emphasizes these imperatives. Section 1 asserts that the best interests of the child must remain paramount. Section 11 guarantees every child the right to personal liberty and protection from abuse or harm, while Section 13 explicitly protects children from all forms of violence, neglect, maltreatment, or exploitation. Moreover, Section 14 imposes a duty on parents, guardians, institutions, and authorities to provide a safe and conducive environment for children’s care and protection, failure to do so is tantamount to a criminal offense.”
Meanwhile, the National Director, SOS Children’s Villages, Eghosa Erhumwunse said: “This is a wake-up call for all of us as a society. It is not enough to create opportunities for children to thrive; we must also ensure their safety is non-negotiable. The loss of these innocent lives across the country is a tragedy that should never have happened, it spells the incompetence of the organizers and the negligence of duty bearers to the wellbeing of children and safety of the environment. This incident exposes Nigeria as a nation with systemic gaps in child safety measures, inadequate enforcement of event safety regulations, and a lack of accountability in ensuring environments conducive to children’s well-being.
“At SOS Children’s Villages Nigeria, we are committed to working with the government, civil society, and community leaders to ensure that every child can participate in public events without fear of harm. No parent should ever have to bury their child because of preventable lapses in safety.
“We commend the swift response of the State Governments, emergency responders, and healthcare providers in addressing the immediate needs of the victims. However, these tragedies calls for long-term actions to prevent a recurrence.
SOS Children’s Villages calls on all stakeholders, government agencies, event organizers, media partners, and community leaders to implement rigorous safety protocols for organizing events involving children, including venue capacity limits and effective crowd control measures. It is very important that those responsible for organizing and supervising such events are held accountable for any lapses in safety and standard procedures. As a matter of urgency, comprehensive provision and psychological support should be provided for survivors of the stampede, counseling and trauma care for the affected children and their families. A stricter implementation of the Child Rights Act 2003 and all laws that uphold and protect the lives of children, adult and properties. “
