The charges previously filed against 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 in Bashorun, Ibadan, have been officially dropped.
The three individuals had been facing legal action following a tragic stampede during a children’s event in December 2024, which resulted in the deaths of at least 35 children.
Following a court session on Thursday, the defendants were seen visibly relieved, exchanging smiles and pleasantries, signaling the dismissal of the charges.
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Oyo State Attorney General, Abiodun Aikomo, confirmed the court’s decision, providing clarity on the matter in statements to the media.
He said: “It was an unfortunate incident that led to the death of many. And you see, in law, whenever death occurs and the circumstances are not natural, the law will take its course. So the state responded by filing charges against the persons implicated in the investigation.
“In the course of doing that, we actually wanted to prosecute but the affected persons showed empathy. They showed compassion. And as far as human beings can do, they try to persuade the feelings of the affected parties. And the circumstance, we felt, the essence of prosecution is not to kill people or persecute them. It is in the interest of justice to discontinue these charges, and that is what happened today. So we withdrew the charge and it was struck out by the court. There is no charge against them again, so they are free.”
