MURIC Reacts To Recent Stampedes, Gives Police Two Options Concerning Organisers Of Palliative Distribution In Abuja, Anambra And Ibadan

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Executive Director of MURIC, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, condemned the disparate treatment of the same tragic event across three different locations.

MURIC has demanded the immediate and unconditional release of those detained in Ibadan in relation to the tragedy.

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On Wednesday, 35 children tragically died in a stampede at a children’s funfair in Ibadan.

A similar incident occurred on Saturday in Maitama, Abuja, during a palliative distribution event at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, which led to the deaths of 10 people. In Anambra State, at least 20 residents of Okija community reportedly died in a stampede during a rice distribution.

In response to the Ibadan incident, the Oyo State Police Command arrested Ms. Naomi Silekunola, the ex-wife of the Ooni of Ife, and seven others.

A new development emerged when a Chief Magistrate Court in Iyaganku, Ibadan, ordered the remand of three individuals connected to the tragic stampede at Bashorun Islamic High School.

Those remanded include the school principal, Mr. Abdullahi Fasasi; Alhaji Oriyomi Hamzat, the proprietor of Agidigbo FM; and Silekunola. The court ordered their detention at the Agodi Correctional Centre on Tuesday.

Despite this, Akintola emphasized that the Ibadan case should not be singled out or treated differently from the other incidents.