Ibadan Stampede: Ooni’s ex-queen, others regain freedom after 21-day remand

Ooni of Ife’s ex-queen, Naomi Silekunola, owner of Ibadan-based broadcasting station, Agidigbo FM, Oriyomi Hamzat, and the Principal of Islamic High School, Bashorun, Abdulahi Fasasi, regained their freedom from Agodi Correctional Centre on Tuesday, 21 days after they were remanded over the death of 35 children during a stampede in Ibadan.

Justice K. B. Olawoyin of the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan had on Monday admitted them to bail in the sum of N10m each with two sureties in like sum.

The defendants face 18 counts, bordering on murder and manslaughter, pressed against them by the Oyo State Government over the December 18 tragedy.

Following their release on Tuesday, Hamzat was welcomed by a mamoth crowd of his well-wishers at his broadcasting station, where he was captured in tears while addressing the people.

He told the crowd, “Oriyomi is back. At this time, I am in a moment of silence. Thank you very much.”

In his ruling on Monday, Justice Olawoyin, rejected the state government’s objection to the defendants’ bail application, remarking that since the the tragic stampede was not a premeditated act, the defendants were entitled to bail.

The judge, while faulting the detention of the defendants, declared that there is no place in Nigerian law for a holding charge, which was used to detain them by a magistrates’ court.