The Oyo State Police Command has apprehended Olori Naomi Silekunola, the estranged wife of the Ooni of Ife, along with seven others, in connection with the stampede that occurred at the Islamic High School in Basorun, Ibadan, during a family event organized by Wings Foundation in collaboration with Agidigbo FM.
This comes as 35 minors were confirmed dead in a stampede at a funfair on Wednesday, an incident that has drawn widespread condemnation, including from Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, who pledged to investigate the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
Makinde also said the state government would arrest those responsible for the incident and commiserated with parents whose children in the stampede.
A day after, the State Police Command announced that seven suspects have been arrested for their roles in the disaster.
The Command’s spokesman, Adewale Osifeso, said ex-queen of the Ooni of Ife, Naomi Silekunola; the Principal of Islamic High School, Ibadan, Fasasi Abdulahi; and six others were in police custody.
According to the statement, ex-queen was named as the main sponsor of the event.
“The Oyo State Police Command wishes to inform the good people of the State that (8) Persons have since been arrested for their various involvements,” Osifeso said.
“These persons include the main event sponsor, Prophetess Naomi Silekunola ’f’ age 31yrs, Fasasi Abdulahi, ’m’ age 56yrs (School Principal Islamic High School, Ibadan), Genesis Christopher, ’m’ age 24yrs, Tanimowo Moruf,’m’ age 52yrs, Anisolaja Olabode, ‘m’ age 42yrs, Idowu Ibrahim, ‘m’ age 35yrs and Abiola Oluwatimilehin, ’m’ age 25yrs.”
The Command’s spokesman also said that six persons are injured and receiving treatment in a medical facility.
“So far (35) Thirty-Five Minors have been documented Dead while (6) Six others are critically injured and on various Medical Interventions,” he added.
Osifeso said the case has since been transferred to the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department, Iyaganku with the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge leading the investigations.
He called on residents not to panic “as they would witness high level patrols and visible Police presence to prevent hoodlums from taking advantage of the unfortunate situation.”
