The Oyo State Government (OYSG) has formally dropped all criminal charges levelled against Naomi Silekunola, the former wife of the Ooni of Ife, Oba A
The Oyo State Government (OYSG) has formally dropped all criminal charges levelled against Naomi Silekunola, the former wife of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi and Alhaji Oriyomi Hamzat, the owner of Agidigbo FM as well as Abdullahi Fasasi, the principal of Islamic High School, Bashorun, Ibadan.
All three were criminally charged in connection with the tragic stampede that resulted in the deaths of at least 35 children during a children’s event in December 2024.
This was confirmed by the State’s Attorney General, Abiodun Aikomo, after the court ruling on Thursday, March 20.
He said, “It was an unfortunate incident that led to the death of many.
“And you see, in law, whenever death occurs and the circumstances are not natural, the law will take its course.
“So the state responded by filing charges against the persons implicated in the investigation.
“In the course of doing that, we actually wanted to prosecute but the affected persons showed empathy. They showed compassion.
“And as far as human beings can do, they try to persuade the feelings of the affected parties.
“And the circumstance, we felt, the essence of prosecution is not to kill people or persecute them.
“It is in the interest of justice to discontinue these charges, and that is what happened today.”
The accused were visibly relieved, smiling and chatting with each other following the court session on Thursday, March 20 indicating their joy at the dismissal of the charges.
This decision follows a prolonged period of legal proceedings. Earlier, the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan had granted bail to Naomi, Hamzat, and Fasasi.
The ruling, delivered by Justice Kamorudeen Olawoyin, came after the defendants presented their bail applications to the court.
Naomi was granted bail in the amount of N10 million with two sureties, while Hamzat and Fasasi received similar bail conditions.
Additionally, the court ordered the suspects to surrender their passports and prohibited them from granting any interviews, effectively restricting their public interactions.
The controversy surrounding the case began after the tragic stampede at Islamic High School, Bashorun, during a children’s event in December 2024, where dozens of young children tragically lost their lives in a chaotic rush.
The families of the victims and the public were deeply affected by the heartbreaking incident, which became one of the most devastating tragedies in recent memory in Oyo State.
The prosecution, led by Oyo State’s Attorney General, initially opposed granting bail, stressing the seriousness of the charges and the need for justice for the victims.
In contrast, the defense argued for bail, stating that the accused had cooperated with the investigation and did not pose a flight risk.
Governor Makinde had previously emphasized that those responsible for the stampede should face trial but also indicated his willingness to allow the suspects to be granted bail during the legal process.
