Justice K. B. Olawoyin of the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan has criticized the detention of the former queen of the Ooni of Ife, Silekunola Naomi, and her co-defendants, ruling that their detention was unconstitutional. The three defendants—Naomi, Ibadan-based broadcaster Oriyomi Hamzat, and Abdulahib Fasasi, Principal of Islamic High School, Basorun—have been held at Agodi Correctional Centre since December 24, 2024.
The trio faces charges related to a December 18 Christmas funfair organized for children in Ibadan, which resulted in a stampede that claimed the lives of 35 children.
In his ruling on Monday, Justice Olawoyin emphasized that the Nigerian Constitution does not recognize a holding charge as a valid basis for detention. He stated that keeping the defendants in custody without arraignment in the appropriate court infringed on their fundamental rights.
Admitting the defendants to bail, the judge set the amount at **N10 million each**, with two sureties in like sum. The sureties must own landed property within the court’s jurisdiction and deposit their title documents with the court. Additionally, the defendants were directed to surrender their passports to the court registry and were barred from granting media interviews or traveling abroad pending the conclusion of the trial.
Justice Olawoyin acknowledged that the stampede was a tragic but unpremeditated event, granting the defendants the right to bail in light of this finding.
At the Oyo State Magistrates’ Court in Iyaganku, prosecuting counsel Mr. Sikiru Opaleye disclosed that the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had established a prima facie case against the defendants and sanctioned their prosecution. However, the defendants were absent as they were simultaneously appearing at the High Court.
The magistrate, Mrs. Olabisi Ogunkanmi, adjourned the matter to **January 27** for mention.
Adekunle Sobaloju (SAN), counsel for Hamzat, expressed optimism about his client’s release following the court’s decision. Regarding new murder charges reportedly filed by the state government, Sobaloju noted that his client had not yet been formally served. “We read it on social media just as you did,” he told journalists.
The case has drawn significant public attention, with further developments expected as the trial progresses.
