Ibadan Stampede: Queen Naomi, Oriyomi Hamzat, other must face trial — Makinde

The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has vowed that the organisers of the children’s funfair, which led to the untimely death of 35 children in a stampede on December 18, 2024, at the Islamic High School in Ibadan, will face trial.

The governor made this known during the annual interfaith service to herald the year 2025, held at the car park of the Governor’s Office Secretariat.

Tribune Online reported that the organisers, which include an ex-wife of the Ooni of Ife, Prophetess Naomi Silekunola Ogunwusi; the owner of Agidigbo FM, Oriyomi Hamzat; and the Principal of Islamic High School, Bashorun, Ibadan, Fasasi Abdullahi Babatunde, are remanded at the Agodi Custodial Centre.

Makinde further stressed that he has been receiving calls from different people questioning why the organisers should not be allowed to go free.

“35 innocent souls were lost; we won’t see such again in Oyo State by God’s grace.

“Quite a number of people reached out to me, saying that this happened in Anambra and FCT and nobody went to jail. Why is it that in Oyo State, some people will go to jail? Oyo is not Anambra, and no matter how highly placed, justice must be done.

“The judiciary is here, after all; it’s in their court. If they think they can grant bail pending the trial, I don’t have anything against it, but they must go on trial.

“Even if the entire country decides not to follow the rule of law, Oyo State will dare to be different,” he concluded.