Ibadan Stampede: Court Fixes Date to Decide Bail Applications of Ooni of Ife’s Ex-Queen, Others
- An Ibadan court has fixed a date to pass a ruling on the bail applications for the defendant in the case of the stampede that occurred in Ibadan late last year
- All of Ooni of Ife ex-queen Naomi Silekunola, Ibadan-based radio station Agidigbo FM and the event’s venue principal independently applied for a bail
- Oyo state governor Seyi Makinde has doubled down that he will not give in to persuasion from members of the public to withdraw the case
On Tuesday, January 7, 2025, the Oyo state High Court located at Ring Road in Ibadan listened to the arguments of three defendants in the case of the fatal stampede that took place during the days leading up to Christmas last year.
After five hours of intense legal back and forth, Justice K.B Olawoyin fixed January 13 as the day the ruling on the bail application of the three defendants will be passed down.
Oyo Governor Makinde has reiterated that the state will see through the prosecution of the defendants. Image: FB/Agidigbo FMSource: UGC
The defendants, Ooni of Ife’s ex-queen, Mrs Naomi Silekunola, Ibadan-based popular radio presenter Alhaji Oriyomi Hamzat, and the principal of the school where the event was held Abdulahi Fasasi, separately filed for their bail applications.
Oyo gov Makinde doubles down on prosecution
Oyo state Governor Seyi Makinde has repeatedly reiterated in recent speeches that he will pursue the prosecution of the defendants to the very end despite mounting pleas from high-ranking members of the public.
Makinde said it doesn’t matter whether other states, like Anambra state and the Federal Capital Territory, where similar incidents occurred opted to prosecute the organisers or not, noting that Oyo would not back down in the quest to serve justice for any one found guilty of wrongdoing.
He, however, clarified that he had nothing against the court granting them bail if the judiciary deemed them worthy of it.
Ibadan stampede an avoidable event – Nigerians
Many high-ranking citizens have made public their thoughts on the unfortunate incidents that claimed not fewer than the lives of 35 children at Islamic High School, Bashorun. Chief of all is the President of the federation, Bola Tinubu, who placed the blame for the tragic events on the poor planning of the organisers.
Tinubu, in a media chat with journalists, mentioned that he had always been sharing palliatives in his residence for as long as he could remember and had never had a case of a stampede.
Former Kaduna senator Shehu Sani described the incident as an avoidable catastrophe that could have been avoided.
Organisers had good intentions – netizens
While the organisers were criticized for improper planning, many netizens online pointed out that all they had in mind was the goodwill of the masses.
Alhaji Oriyomi Hamzat quickly distanced himself and his Radio station from the event hours after the tool of lives lost became public, stating that he was only present as a pressman. His claims fell on deaf ears as he was remanded in jail alongside another main figure behind the event.
Queen Naomi’s mum speaks up
Earlier, TheTalk.NG reported that the mother of Queen Naomi Silekunola had shared what she knows about the Ibadan stampede that left some children dead.
She revealed the time when the number of people who trooped to benefit from her daughter’s philanthropy became massive
Source: TheTalk.NG
