- Safiu Kehinde
An Iyaganku Chief Magistrate court in Ibadan has on Tuesday remanded the former Queen of Ooni of Ife, Prophetess Naomi Shilekunola, over last week’s stampede which claimed lives of 35 minors.
Also remanded is Oriyomi Hamzat, the owner of Agidigbo FM who partnered the ex- queen’s Women in Need of Guidance and Support Foundation (WINGS) in organizing the ill-fated children funfair.
They were, on Tuesday arraigned on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, acceleration of death, negligent acts causing harm, and failure to provide adequate security and medical facilities.
The Magistrate Olabisi Ogunkanmi, ordered that they should be remanded in Agodi Correctional Facility pending the advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) of the Oyo State Ministry of Justice.
Also remanded alongside the suspects was Fasasi Abdullahi, the principal of Islamic High School where the programme was held.
NPO Reported that Queen Naomi was last week hospitalized after falling ill in detention.
Prior to the development, Oriyomi Hamzat had landed in hospital few days after the tragic incident.
The state governor, Seyi Makinde, had ordered for the arrest of the organizers with President Bola Tinubu also calling for investigation over the disaster which marked the first in three stampede recorded over the course of the week.
President Tinubu, during his media chat on Monday attributed the the various stampedes to poor organisations and lack of discipline on the part of many Nigerians.