The Socialist Party of Nigeria, SPN, has called for the immediate release of the Principal of Islamic High School, Bashorun, Ibadan, Mr Abdullahi Fasasi, proprietor of Agidigbo FM, Alhaji Oriyomi Hamzat and Olori Naomi Silekunola, a former wife of Ooni of Ile Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi.

DAILY POST reports that the trio were arrested in connection with the stampede that occurred in Ibadan on Wednesday, 18th December, 2024.

The party described the detention and prosecution of the trio as diversionary.

SPN said that the government should begin to tackle the root cause of the high level of poverty in the country with immediate reversal of its anti-people pro-capitalist policies.

The party spoke in a statement made available to DAILY POST on Wednesday.

The party in the statement signed by its Secretary in Oyo State, Comrade Ayodeji Adigun, declared its support for the growing demand for the immediate release of the individuals arrested and incarcerated in connection with the stampede.

SPN, in the statement, noted that the current prosecution of the organisers of the funfair including the principal of the school is diversionary and tantamount to the act of scratching the surface of a problem but ignoring the root cause.

The party said, “The Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) supports the growing demand for the immediate release of the individuals arrested and incarcerated in connection with the December 18 stampede that led to the death of over 35 children at a funfair organized at Islamic High School Bashorun Ibadan.

“However, unlike what appears to be the only concern of the public and media we strongly hold that the demand must also include a call for adequate compensation for the relatives and families of the victims of the tragic event

“As far as we are concerned the current prosecution of the organizers of the funfair including the principal of the school is diversionary and tantamount to the act of scratching the surface of a problem but ignoring the root cause.

“The policies like privatisation, devaluation, deregulation including commercialization of social services like education among others individually and collectively contributed to creating the condition of the mass poverty and starvation being faced by mass of the working people across the country today.

“The several media reports of how parents were throwing their children across the fence out of desperation to ensure that they had access to a plate of rice and bottle of drink promised to be given at funfair is a graphic reflection of how the mass poverty ravaging the country has been deepened under the Tinubu-led government especially following its decision to hike the price of petrol under the pretense of subsidy removal and devalue the naira.

“It is also important to state that these policies have always been an escape route through which successive federal and state governments abdicate their responsibility and make the working people to unfortunately be dependent on billionaires and many self-acclaimed charity organizations for services that should have been ordinarily provided by the government. Besides, many of these billionaires often got their wealth through fraudulent and underhand means.”

Ibadan stampede: Socialist Party demands release of detained organisers