35 children died when a stampede took place at a Christmas party in the southwestern Nigerian city of Ibadan, while six others were hospitalized, police said.
The organizers had promised to give out money and food, but many people turned up until their noses were blown while they struggled to enter.
Residents said that more than 5,000 children had gathered in the area and the incident happened when the main organizers arrived to start the event.
The sequence of events leading to the stroke has not been revealed.
The police said they arrested eight people who were running the event, including the main organizer, Naomi Silekunola, who is well known in the city.
President Bola Tinubu expressed his condolences to the parents who lost their children, and ordered a thorough investigation.
The Oyo state government said the victims were rushed to hospitals in Ibadan for treatment after the attack on Islamic High School in Bashorun area of the city.
Authorities urged parents worried about their children’s whereabouts to check with city hospitals.
Doctors at one hospital told the BBC that six children were admitted but only two survived – four have since died.
In another hospital, a doctor who refused to give his name said he counted three bodies.
Some affected parents told reporters that they had accompanied their children to gather at the “end of the year Christmas” event at 05:00 on Wednesday – five hours before the event started.
They were hoping to get money and food as the organizers had promised to give 5,000 naira each (about £2.50; $3) to 5,000 children and make free food available to those who attended.
Nigeria is facing its worst economic crisis in a generation, which explains why more than 10,000 people are reported to have attended the event.
There have been many similar incidents this year.
In March, two female students were crushed to death at Nasarawa State University, Keffi, near the capital, Abuja, when a rice distribution program by the governor of the state caused a large crowd. 23 people were injured.
Three days later in the northern state of Bauchi, at least seven people died in another incident where a philanthropist and a businessman gave 5,000 naira.
Earlier in February, it was reported that five people were killed in Lagos when the Nigerian Customs Service confiscated sacks of rice.
An outburst by a mob demanding bags of rice sold for around $7:00 resulted in a stampede that killed five people and injured dozens.
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