The Oyo State Government has filed 18 new criminal charges against Naomi Silekunola, former wife of the Ooni of Ife, along with radio proprietor Oriyomi Hamzat and Islamic High School Principal Abdulahi Fasasi. The charges stem from a tragic stampede at a children’s funfair held at Islamic High School, which claimed the lives of 35 children.

The defendants are accused of conspiracy to commit murder, manslaughter, and criminal negligence for failing to provide adequate security, crowd control, and medical facilities during the event. The charges, filed on January 10, 2025, cite violations under Oyo State’s Criminal Code.

The suspects, previously remanded at Agodi correctional center in December 2024, have applied for bail, with a hearing scheduled for January 13, 2025. However, the new charges increase the likelihood of their continued detention even if granted bail on earlier charges.