Court Faults Detention of Ex-Queen Naomi and Others, Grants ₦10m Bail Over Ibadan Stampede

Justice K. B. Olawoyin of the Oyo State High Court, Ibadan, has condemned the detention of the former Ooni of Ife’s ex-wife, Silekunola Naomi, broadcaster Oriyomi Hamzat, and Islamic High School Principal, Abdulahib Fasasi, describing it as unconstitutional.

The trio was held at the Agodi Correctional Centre over their involvement in the December 18, 2024, Christmas funfair in Ibadan, which resulted in a stampede that claimed 35 children’s lives.

Ruling on their bail application on Monday, Justice Olawoyin criticised the use of a holding charge to justify their detention, noting that it violates Nigerian law.

“There is no provision for a holding charge in the Constitution. Detaining the defendants without proper arraignment infringes on their fundamental rights,” the judge stated.

Consequently, the court granted each defendant bail set at ₦10 million with two sureties in the same amount.

The sureties must own landed property within the court’s jurisdiction and submit the property documents to the court.

Additionally, the defendants must surrender their international passports and are barred from granting media interviews until the case is resolved.

Justice Olawoyin further explained that the stampede was not a deliberate act, making the defendants eligible for bail.

Reacting to the ruling, Oriyomi Hamzat’s lawyer, Adekunle Sobaloju (SAN), assured reporters that his client’s bail conditions would be fulfilled promptly.

“We are moving immediately to perfect the bail conditions. The court has ruled in our favour, and we are grateful,” he said.

Addressing reports of fresh murder charges filed by the state government, Sobaloju stated that his client had not been officially served.

“We only heard about it through social media. No formal charges have been presented to us yet,” he added.

Meanwhile, at the Oyo State Magistrates’ Court in Iyaganku, the state’s prosecuting counsel, Mr. Sikiru Opaleye, informed the court that the Directorate of Public Prosecutions had confirmed a prima facie case against the defendants.

He requested an adjournment pending the filing of formal charges at the high court.

Chief Magistrate Olabisi Ogunkanmi adjourned the case until January 27, 2025, for further mention.