Justice Kamorudeen Olawoyin of a High Court in Ibadan has granted bail to three individuals who were remanded in connection with a tragic stampede during a food queue event that resulted in the deaths of 35 minors in December of last year.
The event, organised by Naomi Silekunola, the former wife of the Ooni of Ife, was intended to be a funfair with the capacity to host 5,000 attendees. However, the announcement of “free entry” and the offer of gifts and scholarships attracted a much larger crowd than anticipated, leading to chaos. Many individuals camped outside the venue to secure their spots, which ultimately contributed to the fatal stampede.
Naomi Silekunola, Oriyomi Hamzat, the CEO of Agidigbo FM, and Fasasi Abdullahi, the principal of Islamic High School, were arrested and charged over the incident.
The suspects are facing multiple counts, including conspiracy, causing death through negligence, negligent acts causing harm, and failure to provide adequate security and medical assistance during the event.
