Stampede Tragedy: Oyo Govt makes u-turn, drops charges against ex-Ooni’s wife Naomi, Agidigbo FM Owner, Others

The Oyo State Government has officially withdrawn criminal charges against Naomi Silekunola, ex-wife of the Ooni of Ife; Alhaji Oriyomi Hamzat, owner of Agidigbo FM; and Abdullahi Fasasi, principal of the Islamic High School, Bashorun, Ibadan.

The charges were linked to the tragic stampede that claimed at least 35 children’s lives during a festive party in December 2024.

Following the trial on Thursday, the defendants were visibly relieved, exchanging pleasantries after their release from the charges. The State’s Attorney General, Abiodun Aikomo, later confirmed the decision, citing the accused persons’ empathy and efforts to console the affected families as key factors in dropping the case.

“It was an unfortunate incident that led to the death of many. In law, when death occurs under unnatural circumstances, the law must take its course. The state responded by filing charges, but in the course of prosecution, the affected persons showed empathy and compassion. The essence of justice is not persecution, so we decided to discontinue the charges,” Aikomo stated.

This decision follows a period of legal proceedings in which the Oyo State High Court granted bail to the accused. Justice Kamorudeen Olawoyin had set Naomi’s bail at N10 million with two sureties, while Hamzat and Fasasi received similar bail conditions. The court also ordered them to surrender their passports and refrain from public interviews.

The case stemmed from the tragic incident at Islamic High School, Bashorun, where a chaotic rush at a children’s event led to the loss of dozens of young lives. While Governor Seyi Makinde initially insisted that those responsible must face trial, he later acknowledged the possibility of bail.