The socio-cultural group, Kaaro Oojiire Omo Oodua Foundation (KOOOF), has condemned as unjust the incarceration of the former queen of the Ooni of Ife, Prophetess Naomi Silekunola; Oriyomi Hamzat; and the principal of Islamic High School, Basorun, Fasasi Abdulahi, over the stampede that occurred in Ibadan, Oyo State, on 18 December 2024, which led to the death of 35 children.
The group called on the government to release the detained humanitarians unconditionally and compensate the victims’ families, attributing the tragedy to the widespread poverty affecting many Nigerians.
The Foundation, which criticised the ill treatment of the programme organisers, stated that the circumstances surrounding their remand are alarming and raise questions about the fairness of the nation’s justice system.
In a statement signed by KOOOF’s chairman, Asiwaju Olu Mayungbe, the Foundation expressed sadness over Queen Naomi’s weeks-long incarceration, describing it as Èèwò (abomination) and a blemish on the Yorùbá race.
“We weep for the Yorùbá people, the humanitarians, the families of the victims, and those wrongly remanded.
“The irony is glaring: parents who, out of desperation, threw their children over the fence, leading to their deaths, are not being held accountable. Instead, the humanitarians who attempted to provide assistance are being unjustly incarcerated.
“This blatant disregard for human rights and the rule of law sends a chilling message to other would-be humanitarians: that their efforts to provide aid and support to the vulnerable will be met with persecution and incarceration,” the statement read.
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Highlighting a glaring double standard, the Foundation demanded justice and called on the government to:
Immediately release the unjustly detained humanitarians.
Provide compensation and support to the affected families.
Address the root causes of poverty and economic hardship in society.
It added: “We stand in solidarity with the vulnerable and the humanitarians who risk everything to support them.
“Together, we can create a more just and compassionate society”
