The Oyo State Government has withdrawn the criminal charges against a former wife of Ooni of Ife, Naomi Silekunola; Oriyomi Hamzat, founder of Agidigbo FM; and Abdullahi Fasasi, principal of Islamic High School, Bashorun, Ibadan.
They were arraigned over the tragic stampede in December 2024, which resulted in the death of at least 35 children during a festive carnival.
Oyo State’s Attorney-General and Commissioner forJustice, Abiodun Aikomo, confirmed the decision after the court session on Thursday, while speaking to the media.
“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,” he said.
The defendants were visibly elated, smiling and exchanging pleasantries after the trial on Thursday, signalling their relief and release from the charges.
The Oyo State High Court in Ibadan had granted Naomi, Hamzat and Fasasi, N10 million bail each.
Justice Kamorudeen Olawoyin who delivered the ruling, also ordered that the suspects deposit their passports with the court and restricted them from giving interviews, limiting their public engagements.
The case began after the devastating stampede during a children’s event at Islamic High School, Bashorun, in December 2024, where at least 35 children lost their lives in a chaotic rush.
The public and the victims’ families were left heartbroken by the tragic event, one of the most harrowing incidents in recent memory in Oyo State.
The prosecution team, led by the Attorney-General of Oyo State, had initially opposed granting bail to the defendants, highlighting the seriousness of the charges and the need for justice for the victims.
However, the defence team argued that the accused had cooperated with the investigation and did not pose a flight risk.
