BREAKING: Prophetess Naomi Silkeunola, others arrested, police confirm 35 children dead in Ibadan stampede
By Jeffrey Agbo
Oyo State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of organisers of the children’s funfair at the Islamic High School, Basorun, Ibadan on Wednesday which led to a stampede and death of 35 children.
A statement on Thursday signed by the command’s spokesman, SP Osifeso Adewale, said the main event sponsor, Prophetess Naomi Silekunola, former wife of the Ooni of Ife Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has also been arrested.
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“Sequel to the Stampede incident recorded on Wednesday 18/12/2024 at the Islamic High School, Basorun, Ibadan venue of the family event Organized by Wings Foundation and Media partners Agidigbo Fm, 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,” the statement 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.
Ibadan Tragedy, first hand account.
“A day before the funfair, I went to inspect the venue to ensure that all the necessary things were in place. Prophetess Naomi was there and she said the place was more spacious than the place they wanted to use. I asked about the security arrangement and she said the security will be there by 8am. I told her and the team that Ibadan is different from the other places they have been using so I promised to give her 200 boys that will be giving out tickets to the children. She didn’t plan to use tickets initially. I arranged how 5500 tickets would be printed. The following day, I got to the venue at about 5:45am. I saw a lot of crowd. All roads were blocked. Mothers have started throwing their kids over the fence. The program was scheduled to start at 10am and security men were expected at 8am. I started begging that everybody should go back home. They refused to listen to me.
Over 2000 mothers threw their kids over the fence as at 5:45am. I was told they have been throwing their kids since 4am. Even though we were expecting 5000 kids, Naomi rented 7000 chairs because I told her to make provision for mothers that would bring their kids.
Stampede started happening at 7am. A woman said she threw her son over the fence thinking that someone would catch him but the child h!t his head on the ground and d!ed on the spot. One woman gathered her neighbor’s kids and brought 19 children to the venue. HOW WAS IT NAOMI’S FAULT that parents were throwing their kids?”
