The estranged wife of the Ooni of Ile-Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Naomi Silekunola has been remanded in Agodi Correctional Centre in Oyo State over the tragic stampede at a children’s carnival she organised.
Top Society reports that Naomi was arraigned alongside Oriyomi Hazmat, the chief executive officer of Agidigbo FM, and a school principal before an Oyo State Magistrate Court over the deaths of 35 children during the Christmas funfair at Ibadan, the state capital, on December 18.
Following their four-count charge of conspiracy and murder preferred against them, all the three pleaded not guilty.
According to the prosecution team, the alleged offences violated Section 324 of the Criminal Code, Cap. 38, Vol. II, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000.
Chief Magistrate Olabisi Ogunkanmi, who heard the case, adjourned it until January 14, 2025.
Naomi had organised the event under the platform of her ‘Women in Need of Guidance and Support (WINGS) Foundation’ as a Christmas children funfair at the school to dole out N5,000 to 5,000 indigent people.
FIJ earlier reported how the stampede occurred when thousands of people graced the event to benefit from the philanthropic act.
Things took a tragic turn when the event managers could not control the crowd, paving way for chaos and leaving death and injury trails behind.
Following the tragedy, Governor Seyi Makinde announced that the organisers had been arrested for interrogation.
“While investigations are ongoing, the primary organisers of the event that led to this stampede have been taken into custody. I want to reassure our people that anyone directly or remotely involved in this disaster will be held accountable,” Makinde wrote on X on Wednesday.
