The Oyo State Government has officially withdrawn the criminal charges against Naomi Silekunola, the ex-wife of the Ooni of Ife; Alhaji Oriyomi Hamzat, the owner of Agidigbo FM; and Abdullahi Fasasi, the principal of the Islamic High School, Bashorun, Ibadan, over the tragic stampede that claimed the lives of at least 35 children during a children’s festive party in December 2024.
The defendants were visibly elated, smiling and exchanging pleasantries after the trial on Thursday, signalling their relief and release from the charges.
This development was later confirmed by the State’s Attorney General, Abiodun Aikomo, who addressed the media after the court session.
Oyo Attorney General verdict
Speaking in a live coverage on Facebook, the Attorney General said: “It was an unfortunate incident that led to the death of many. And you see, in law, the law will take its course whenever death occurs, and the circumstances are not natural. 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, which is what happened today.”
This decision comes after an intense period of legal proceedings. Earlier, the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan had granted bail to Naomi, Hamzat, and Fasasi.
