Oyo State government has instituted a fresh suit against a former wife of the Ooni of Ife, Olori Prophetess Naomi Silekunola; the proprietor of an Ibadan-based radio station, Alhaji Oriyomi Hamzat and the Principal of Islamic High School, Bashorun, Ibadan, Mr. Abdulahi Fasasi over the stampede that led to the death of 35 children in Ibadan.
The 18-count suit with charge number I/05C/2025 is the state government versus Naomi Silekunola Ogunwusi, Alhaji Oriyomi Hamzat and Fasasi Abdullahi Babatunde and it was filed at the State High Court on Friday, 10th January 2025.
The 18-count charge relates to conspiracy to commit a felony, namely murder, manslaughter, conspiracy to commit an offence and criminal negligence, which are said to be contrary to and punishable under Section 324 of the Criminal Code, CAP 38, Vol II Law of Oyo State, 2000.
In the charge sheet, the prosecution revealed the names and details of 14 of the reported 35 victims of the incident, including Musiliu Sofiyah, ‘f’, 8 years; Lekan Salami, ‘m’, 7 years; Feyikemi Salam, ‘f’, 1 and a half years; Olaniyan Joshua, ‘m’, 1 and a half years; and Laeef Muisi, ‘m’, 8 years.
Others were: Opeyemi Ayomide, ‘f’, 4 years; Adebayo-Fatimah, ‘f’, 4 years; Adebayo-Abibat, ‘f’, 5 years; Adeyanju Taiwo, ‘f’, 8 years; Salaudeen Khalid, ‘m’, minor; Anjorin Faridat, ‘f’, 10 years; Nahaam Muisi, ‘m’, 13 years; and Babatunde Toheeb, ‘m’, 18 years.
The charge also states that the suspects “did conspire together to commit a felony, namely criminal negligence, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 517 of the Criminal Code, CAP 38, Vol II, Law of Oyo State, 2000.
“Did negligently omit to provide adequate security, crowd control mechanisms, and medical facilities to prevent a stampede at a children’s funfair programme organised by you, and your negligent omission resulted in the death of one Musiliu Sofiat, ‘f’, aged 8 years, and 34 other children, thereby committing an offence contrary to section 308 and punishable under section 344 of the Criminal Code, CAP 38, Vol II, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.”
Two courts in Ibadan will also hear matters related to the stampede involving the three defendants on Monday.
Just as an Oyo State High Court will be ruling on the bail application of the trio before it, a Chief Magistrate’s Court will be hearing the case after it adjourned last year and ordered them to be remanded at the Agodi Correctional Centre.
Justice K. B Olawoyin, presiding over Court 8, Oyo State High Court, Ring Road, Ibadan, also fixed Monday, 13th January 2025, to deliver his ruling on the bail application filed by Olori Naomi Silekunola, Alhaji Oriyomi Hamzat and Abdulahi Fasasi.
Olori Naomi is the ex-wife of the Ooni of Ife and runs Wings Foundation, an NGO. Hamzat is the proprietor of an Ibadan-based radio station, Agidigbo FM, while Fasasi is the Principal of Islamic High School, Bashorun, Ibadan.
The three of them are facing trial following the deaths of 35 children as a result of a stampede at an Islamic High School in Bashorun, Ibadan.
Naomi’s Wings Foundation organised the event, which Oriyomi Hamzat’s radio station, Agidigbo FM, promoted extensively.
Also, Chief Magistrate Olabisi Ogunkanmi, presiding over Chief Magistrate Court 1, Iyaganku, Ibadan, ordered the trio to be remanded at the Agodi Correctional facility pending advice from the Department of Public Prosecution of the Oyo State Ministry of Justice on 24 December 2025.
Silekunola, Oriyomi, and Fasasi are facing trial on a four-count charge relating to conspiracy, acceleration of death, negligent acts causing harm, and failure to provide adequate security and medical facilities.
The case with charge number C/2024 is Commissioner of Police versus Naomi Silekunola, ‘f’, 31 years; Alhaji Oriyomi Hamzat, 51 years; and Fasasi Abdullahi Babatunde, ‘m’, 56 years.
However, when this report was filed, it could not be confirmed if the DPP’s advice had been approved and issued to the police for onward transmission to the Chief Magistrate.
However, it was gathered that the state government’s new 18-count criminal charge against the trio may have been based on the DPP’s advice.
