The Oyo State High Court in Ibadan has dismissed the murder charges filed against Queen Naomi Silekunola, the ex-wife of the Ooni of Ife; Oriyomi Hamzat, the owner of Agidigbo FM; and Abdullahi Fasasi, the principal of Islamic High School.
The trio had been facing legal action over their alleged involvement in the tragic stampede that occurred during a children’s event in December 2024. The incident led to the death of 35 children, sparking public outrage and legal scrutiny.
Delivering the judgment on Thursday, Justice B. K. Olawoyin ruled that holding the defendants responsible could discourage individuals and organizations from engaging in charitable and humanitarian activities. The judge further noted that the charges lacked sufficient grounds to proceed with prosecution.
The four-count charge, which included acceleration of death, conspiracy, negligent acts causing harm, and failure to provide proper medical and security arrangements, was subsequently dismissed by the court.
Speaking on the verdict, the Oyo State Commissioner of Justice and Attorney General, Biodun Aikomo, stated, “It is in the interest of justice to discontinue these cases. So we withdrew the charge and it was struck out by the court. There is no case against them again, they are now free.”
