An Oyo State High Court has granted bail to Naomi Silekunola, a former wife of the Ooni of Ife, along with Oriyomi Hamzat, a broadcaster and CEO of Agidigbo Radio FM, and Abdullahi Fasasi, the principal of Islamic High School. Each of the defendants was granted bail in the sum of N10 million.
The trio is facing charges of conspiracy, murder, manslaughter, and negligence in connection with a tragic stampede that claimed the lives of 35 children during a Christmas funfair held on December 18, 2024, at Islamic High School, Orita Basorun, Ibadan.
The defendants were initially arraigned at the Iyaganku Magistrates’ Court on December 24, 2024, and subsequently remanded at the Agodi Correctional Centre. However, their counsel later sought bail at the state High Court.
Delivering his ruling on Monday, Justice Kamorudeen Olawoyin approved the bail applications, noting that each defendant must provide two reliable sureties.
The judge clarified that the magistrate court lacked the jurisdiction to handle a case involving murder charges, as reflected in the charge sheet.
Justice Olawoyin emphasized that holding charges are unconstitutional and that continued detention of the defendants would violate their rights.
He also pointed out that the stampede was an accidental occurrence and not a premeditated act, making the defendants eligible for bail.
As part of the bail conditions, the court ordered the defendants to surrender their international passports and refrain from granting press interviews, whether in print or on social media, throughout the trial.
