Oyo Court Grants Bail to Ooni's Ex-Queen and Two Others in Deadly Ibadan Stampede Case

 

An Oyo State High Court in Ring Road, Ibadan, has granted bail to three individuals, including Naomi Silekunola, the former queen of the Ooni of Ife, following their involvement in the tragic December 18, 2024, stampede during a public event. The other two individuals granted bail are Oriyomi Hamzat, the CEO of Agidigbo Radio FM, Ibadan, and Abdulahi Fasasi, the Principal of Islamic High School.

Justice K.B. Olawoyin presided over the case in Court 8, where the bail ruling was issued on Monday. This decision followed a bail application submitted by the defendants' legal team.

Bail Conditions

The court set five conditions for the defendants to be granted bail:

1. A sum of N10 million in bail.
2. Two sureties who must provide landed property documents within the jurisdiction of the court.
3. The defendants must surrender their international passports to the court.
4. They are prohibited from giving any media interviews during the ongoing trial.

The defendants had been in custody since December 24, 2024, after their arrest by the police in connection with the deadly stampede that claimed the lives of 35 children.

Charges and Legal Proceedings

The Oyo State Government has charged the three individuals with eight criminal counts, including murder, manslaughter, criminal negligence, and conspiracy to commit these offenses. The charges relate to their alleged roles in the stampede that occurred during a public gathering.

Adekunle Sobaloju, the lawyer representing Oriyomi Hamzat, confirmed the court's decision to grant bail. Speaking to the press, Sobaloju explained that the application for bail was presented before the court, which considered various arguments before issuing its ruling. He emphasized that the specifics of the arguments would not be disclosed at this time.

This case continues to attract significant attention, with the Oyo State Government taking a firm stance on the matter and filing fresh charges following the tragic incident.