Ibadan Funfair Tragedy: Old Students Demand Immediate Release of Detained School Principal
- The Islamic High School Old Students Association has called on the Oyo state police command to release Mr. Abdullah Fasasi, the school principal, on administrative bail
- The school principal was arrested and detained in connection to the Ibadan funfair tragedy that claimed 35 lives
- The president of the alumni association, Bayo Busari, has clarified the claims suggesting that the school principal approved the use of the facility for the funfair
TheTalk.NG journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.
Oyo state, Ibadan – Old students of Islamic High School, Basorun, Ibadan, the venue of the Ibadan funfair tragedy, have demanded the release of the school principal, Mr Abdullah Fasasi, on administrative bail.
Students demand release of school principal detained after after Ibadan funfair tragedy. Image for illustration purposes.
Photo credit: Nigeria Police ForceSource: Facebook
Ibadan tragedy: Death toll hits 35
The National President of the Islamic High School Old Students Association, Mr Bayo Busari, made the demand while speaking with newsmen in Ibadan on Saturday, December 21.
TheTalk.NG reported that 35 minors had been confirmed dead in the stampede at a funfair held at Islamic High School, Orita Bashorun, Ibadan.
The family event was organised by the Wings Foundation, owned by Naomi Silekunola, a former queen and ex-wife of Ooni of Ife.
But on Thursday, December 19, the Oyo state police command confirmed the arrest of the ex-queen, the principal of the Islamic High School, Ibadan, Fasasi Abdulahi, and six others in connection to the death of the children.
Students demand release of principal on administrative bail
Reacting, Busari, said the association was neither averse to police investigation nor willing to obstruct it.
Busari, also refuted claims that the school principal approved the use of the facility for the funfair, clarifying that approval came from the Oyo State Ministry of Education.
“The narrative is not true; the Oyo State Ministry of Education gave the approval for the use of the school facility to Agidigbo FM since 2023, and it has been using it for its programme since then.”
Buttressing his point, Busari noted that the alumni were surprised that a director in charge of schools at the Ministry of Education would address the press that the ministry knew nothing about the programme.
As reported by The Nation, he wondered why the police detained the principal, while he was neither the organiser nor the person who approved the school facility for use.
“Our demand is that the principal be released, and we are ready to have him released on administrative bail.
“We will stand as surety for him,” the president said.
Read more about Ibadan tragedy here:
Ibadan stampede: Ooni of Ife ex-wife collapses in police custody
Earlier, TheTalk.NG reported that one of the organisers of the Ibadan funfair, Prophetess Naomi Silekunola, the ex-queen of the Ooni of Ife, was said to have been hospitalised.
Prophetess Naomi was under police investigation at the force headquarters in Ibadan when the incident happened, and she was rushed to the Police Hospital at Eleyele for medical treatment.
Source: TheTalk.NG
