Christmas Party Stampede: Court Admits Ex-Ooni’s Wife, Naomi, Hamzat, Fasasi To Bail

By Ayodele Oni

Reprieve came to the ex-wife of the Ooni of Ife, Naomi Silekunola, owner of a prominent indigenous radio station, Agidigbo FM, Alhaji Oriyomi Hamzat and the Principal of Islamic High School, Bashorun, Abdullahi Fasasi, as a High Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo state, granted their bail applications.

Justice Kamorudeen Olawoyin who gave the ruling on Monday, granted Oriyomi N10 million bail with two sureties and ruled that his organisation must not broadcast the news.

The defendants argued their bail applications before the court last Tuesday, but the court later ruled that they should be remanded in prison till Monday for a ruling.

The defence team had argued that the accused persons did not pose a flight risk and were willing to cooperate with the investigation.

However, the Oyo State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Abiodun Aikomo, strongly countered this motion, highlighting the seriousness of the charges and the need to ensure justice for the victims and their families.

Adekunle Shobaloju (SAN), counsel for one of the defendants, Hamzat Oriyomi, said, “Well, what we did was we filed an application that he should be admitted to bail pending arraignment, and the application was argued today.

“The court listened to all the various arguments, and the ruling was reserved till the 13th of January. So principally, we are saying that he ought to be admitted on bail based on certain grounds which I would not want to expatiate on here.”

The defendants were arrested over the ill-fated children’s festive party in December 2024 which claimed the lives of at least 35 children following a stampede at the Islamic High School, Bashorun, Ibadan.

The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has insisted that those involved in the stampede must face trial.

He, however, added that he was not against the suspects being granted bail in the case.