Several children have been killed in a crush at a funfair in the south-west Nigerian city of Ibadan, with many others hospitalised.

The exact number of casualties is not clear.

The event was advertised as free entry and drew a large crowd but so many people turned up that there was a crush as they struggled to gain entry.

Residents said that over 5,000 children had gathered at the venue and the crush occurred when the main organisers arrived to start the event.

The sequence of events leading to the crush has not been disclosed.

The Oyo state government said victims had been taken to hospitals across Ibadan for treatment after the crush at the Islamic High School Basorun.

It said there had been “multiple loss of lives and injuries”.

The authorities have urged parents who are concerned about the whereabouts of their children to check at the city’s hospitals.