Oyo State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Oyo State, Abiodun Aikomo has justified the decision to file a fresh charge against Olori Naomi Silekunola, Alhaji Oriyomi Hamzat and Abdulahi Fasasi.

He said the government is concerned about justice and hope for victims of the incident by pressing the fresh 18 count charges against the defendants.

Before the new charge, the three individuals are facing trial at a Chief Magistrate Court, Iyaganku over their alleged involvement in an event that resulted in the death of 35 victims, mostly children.

The ill-fated Ibadan Children Funfair held at the Islamic High School, Bashorun Ibadan on December 18, 2024.

Olori Naomi is the ex-wife of the Ooni of Ife and runs Wing Foundation, an NGO. Hazmat is the proprietor of an Ibadan based radio station, Agidigbo FM while Fasasi is the Principal, Islamic High School, Bashorun, Ibadan.

The trio was on Monday granted bail by an Oyo State High Court, Ring Road, Ibadan after spending 20 days at the Agodi Correctional Centre on the order of the Chief Magistrate, Mrs Olabisi Ogunkanmi.

Amidst calls for leniency for the three defendants, Governor Seyi Makinde different fora reiterated that those involved, no matter how highly placed, must face trial.

The Governor said many of those reaching out to him were using similar stampede incident in Anambra and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as examples where nobody is facing trial adding that, even if nobody is held accountable everywhere else, he will ensure that the rule of law is duly followed in Oyo state.

The Governor had added that he was not against the court granting the suspect bail, saying that is to the discretion of the court.

In fulfilling the threat, the state government slammed a fresh suit on the trio

The 18 count suit with Charge number: I/05C/2025 is: the State government versus Naomi Silekunola Ogunwusi, Alhaji Oriyomi Hamzat and Fasasi Abdulahi Babatunde was filed at the State High Court on Friday, January 10, 2025.

The 18 count charges borders on: conspiracy to commit a felony to wit: murder, manslaughter, conspiracy to commit an offence to wit: criminal negligence, and criminal negligence.

The offences were said to be contrary to and punishable under section 324 of the criminal code, CAP 38, vol II Law of Oyo state, 2000.

When contacted, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice said the defendants have been served the new suit and a date will soon be fixed.

Aikomo said the charges had been served on the defendants, adding that the government is giving the defendants the opportunity to have a date in the court to possibly clear their name or otherwise with their involvement in the incident.

Aikomo said ?There is a afresh charge against them. I don?t know if it has been assigned, that?s an administrative duty of the judiciary. I know it has been served on the defendants and we have a date for it. Everybody will hear about it.

?When you say is there still hope, what are you expecting? We are not the court, we are not suppose to pass judgment on them, we are supposed to give them an opportunity to have a date in court, and that is what we have done.

?So, we have filed a charge, we have a burden to prove the case, if it has merit, they defend it, if they think it doesn?t have merit, they can even file a no case because we want to ensure hope and justice for the victims, which is why we are taking this measure,? he added. (The Nation)

Update news