CITIZENS COMPASS – A mammoth crowd on Tuesday, received Oriyomi Hamzat, ace broadcaster and the proprietor of Agidigbo FM, Ibadan, Oyo State having being granted bail from detention.
It was a rousing welcome at the FM’s station along Ojoo expressway.
It was a day of emotions as supporters and fans gathered in large numbers to celebrate his freedom.
Hamzat alongsude Prophetess Naomi Silekunola, the former queen of the Ooni of Ife, and Abdullahi Fasasi, principal of Islamic High School, Basorun, were released from Agodi Correctional Centre.
The trio had been remanded over allegations of involvement in a stampede that claimed 35 children’s lives during a funfair on December 18, 2024.
Justice K. B. Olawoyin had granted bail to the defendants on Monday, setting bail at ₦10 million each, with two sureties of equal value.
Upon his release, Hamzat received a rousing welcome at Agidigbo FM’s station along Ojoo expressway, where supporters and fans gathered in large numbers to celebrate his freedom.
Moved by the overwhelming show of support, Hamzat was visibly emotional and said, “Oriyomi is back. At this time, I am in a moment of silence. Thank you very much.”
Recall that the Oyo State Government had filed another 18-count criminal charge against Hamzat, Silekunola, and Fasasi in connection with the fatal incident.
The charges, filed on January 10, 2025, include conspiracy to commit murder, manslaughter, and criminal negligence.
The prosecution alleged that the defendants failed to ensure adequate security, crowd control, and medical facilities during the children’s funfair, leading to the stampede.
Court documents detailed that the defendants’ alleged negligence directly resulted in the deaths of 35 children, including an 8-year-old named Musiliu Sofiat.
The prosecution stated that the trio’s actions violated Section 517 of the Criminal Code, CAP 38, Vol II, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.
