Ibadan Stampede: Oyo Attorney General Leads Prosecution Team As Court Denies Ooni’s Ex-Wife Naomi, Islamic School Principal Bail

The Oyo State High Court in Ibadan has denied the bail applications of the estranged wife of the Ooni of Ife, Naomi Silekunola and the Principal of Islamic High School, Bashorun, Ibadan, Abdullahi Fasasi.

The court will also decide on the bail application of the proprietor of an Ibadan based radio station, Agidigbo FM, Oriyomi Hamzat on Tuesday.

“The court did not grant the bail application of Naomi and the school principal because the Attorney General pleaded that the state should be given more time to investigate,” a source in court told SaharaReporters.

Naomi’s case was subsequently adjourned till next week.

The court commenced the hearing of the bail applications filed by Hamzat, Naomi, and Fasasi on Tuesday amid tight security.

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, at Bashorun area, Ibadan.

The case came up at Court 8, Ring Road, Ibadan and was presided over by Justice Olawoyin.

The Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, had also insisted that those involved in the stampede must face trial.

Meanwhile, the governor had also noted that he wasn’t against the suspects being granted bail in the case.

He noted that the case must be heard regardless of the status of those involved.

His comments came as some people noted that similar incidents in Abuja and Anambra did not lead to prosecutions wondering why the case of Oyo State was different.

SaharaReporters learned that the court resumed hearing on the case on Tuesday morning and the prosecution team is currently being led by the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice Oyo State, Prof. Oyelowo Oyewo, SAN.

A source in the courtroom told SaharaReporters that there was heavy deployment of security operatives to guard the proceedings as millions of Nigerians anticipate the ruling of the trial court on the bail applications filed by the defendants.

“All the lawyers in the Oyo State Ministry of Justice came around to fight against the case as led by the Attorney General of the state,” the source said.