KEY POINTS
- Thirty five children killed in Ibadan stampede.
- Prophetess Naomi (Ex- Ooni’s wife) and 7 others arrested arrested.
- Police amp up patrols for safety, launch homicide investigation.
On Thursday in Ibadan, Oyo State, 35 children died in a stampede at a funfair organised around Islamic High School, Orita Bashorun. The incident Wednesday was condemned across the board and drew calls for accountability.
Seyi Makinde, Governor of Oyo State, paid his condolences to families which were affected and promised to investigate the tragedy. Those responsible for the incident will be brought to justice, he assured the public.
The Oyo State Police Command said the eight suspects who were arrested over the stampede, were apprehended a day later. And Prophetess Naomi Silekunola, the ex wife of the Ooni of Ife, was named the primary sponsor of the event among the suspects.
Those involved include the principal of Islamic High School, Ibadan, Fasasi Abdulahi; and six others, Genesis Christopher (24), Tanimowo Moruf (52), as well as Anisolaja Olabode (42), Idowu Ibrahim (35) and Abiola Oluwatimilehin (25), police spokesman Adewale Osifeso confirmed.
Osifeso said six people were critically injured and were receiving medical treatment. Six days on, he said 35 minors have been documented dead while six others are critically injured and on various medical interventions.
Public demand investigation and accountability
The Deputy Commissioner of Police has taken over investigation into the case and transferred same to the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Iyaganku.
But Osifeso reassured residents that calm should prevail as ‘police patrols…would be increased’ to prevent hoodlums from taking advantage of the tragic incident.
The calls for tougher scrutiny of public events that involve children have been met with horror and also anger in the wake of the tragedy. It has yet to be explained how proper crowd control measures weren’t in place, nor how security protocols to prevent overcrowding at the funfair weren’t enforced.
State police investigators and Oyo authorities are now working to identify lapses that led to the incident. After the tragedy, event organizers and stronger safety protocols are now demanded by residents and accountable for prevent similar tragedies happening again in future.
