The Oyo State government has officially withdrawn criminal charges against Naomi Silekunola, Alhaji Oriyomi Hamzat, the owner of Agidigbo FM and Mr Abdullahi Fasasi.
They had been standing trial following the tragic stampede that claimed the lives of, at least, 35 children during a Children Christmas carnival, put together by Naomi Silekunola and held last December.
The trio were the ex-wife of the Ooni of Ife, owner of Ibadan-based Agidigbo FM and the principal of the Islamic High School, Bashorun, Ibadan, respectively.
The state government however dropped the charges against them and were discharged during a court hearing on Thursday.
The elated three defendants exchanged smiles and pleasantries, signaling their relief at being cleared of any criminal liability in the unfortunate incident.
The stampede shocked the entire state, as people across the country then raised concerns over safety measures at public events, leading to widespread calls for accountability.
However, after months of legal proceedings and investigations, the government opted to drop the charges, citing insufficient evidence and other legal considerations.
Meanwhile, families of the victims continue to demand justice and stricter safety regulations to prevent a recurrence of such disasters.
As the dust settles on the case, many are left wondering what measures will be put in place to ensure safety of children and general safety at large public gatherings to avoid and avert a reoccurrence of the December 2024 Children Funfair concert.
This was as the Oyo State government has advised organisers of large-crowd events to seek for the permission of the government and also for clearance from the security agencies in the state.
