Ibadan Stampede: Oriyomi Hamzat, Ex-Queen Naomi Remanded in Prison Over Death of 35 Children

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Renowned Ibadan-based broadcaster, Oriyomi Hamzat, Prophetess Naomi, the ex-wife of the Ooni of Ife, and the principal of Islamic High School, Bashorun, have been remanded in prison custody on murder charges following the tragic deaths of 35 children in a stampede during a children’s funfair event in Ibadan.

Denying the accused bail, the court fixed the next hearing for January 13, 2025.

The stampede unfolded during a palliative distribution organized as part of Prophetess Naomi’s children’s funfair programme.

The event, heavily advertised on Oriyomi Hamzat’s Agidigbo Radio Station, attracted an overwhelming crowd. Despite efforts by the station to broadcast warnings urging people to stay away after the venue reached capacity, the crowd kept swelling.

Reports suggest that desperate parents began arriving as early as 4 a.m., with some allegedly throwing their children over the fence into the compound to secure palliatives.

The chaotic scenes resulted in severe injuries and the tragic loss of young lives.

The arrests have sparked public outrage, with many Nigerians rallying behind Hamzat and calling for his immediate release. Critics argue that the broadcaster is being unfairly targeted because his radio station was used to publicize the event.

Supporters emphasise that Hamzat took proactive measures to manage the situation once the crowd became unmanageable.

The tragedy has also raised broader concerns about the management of palliative distribution in Nigeria, particularly following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s subsidy removal policy. Since the policy’s implementation, stampedes at seven different events have claimed the lives of at least 98 people, highlighting systemic issues in crowd control and resource distribution.

As the case unfolds, public sentiment continues to build around the need for justice, accountability, and reform.

Many Nigerians are demanding that responsibility for the incident be placed squarely on the event’s organizers and that Oriyomi Hamzat’s role as a media promoter be reconsidered in the light of the facts.