President Muhammadu Buhari eextended his heartfelt condolences to President Yoon Suk-yeo, the Government and people of the Republic of South Korea, and families of victims of the tragic incident that claimed 151 lives at Itaewon in Seoul district.
Recall that following the tragedy, South Korea’s President Yoon Suk-yeol declared a period of national mourning on Sunday after a Halloween crush killed some 151 people in a packed nightlife area in Seoul.
Yoon expressed condolences to the victims, mostly teenagers and people in their 20s, and his wishes for a speedy recovery to the many injured.
“This is truly tragic,” he said in a statement. “A tragedy and disaster that should not have happened took place in the heart of Seoul last night.”
A huge crowd celebrating in the popular Itaewon district surged into an alley on Saturday night, emergency officials said, adding the death toll could rise.
Choi Sung-beom, head of the Yongsan Fire Station, said 151 deaths had been confirmed, including 19 foreigners. He told a briefing at the scene 82 people were injured, 19 of them seriously.
It was the first Halloween event in Seoul in three years after the country lifted COVID-19 restrictions and social distancing. Many of the partygoers were wearing masks and Halloween costumes.
Early on Sunday, costumes and personal belongings mingled with blood spots in the narrow street. Survivors huddled under emergency blankets amid throngs of emergency workers, police, and media.
Many of those killed were near a nightclub, Choi said. Many of the victims were women in their 20s, while the foreigners killed include people from China, Iran, Uzbekistan and Norway, he said.
President Buhari, according to his spokesman, Mr. Femi Adesina, sent prayerful wishes for the speedy recovery of the injured, healing and comfort to the entire nation as they grieve the heart-breaking loss of over 150 people, mostly teenagers and people in their twenties.
President Buhari assures President Yoon that Nigeria stands with the people of Korea at this difficult and trying moment.