Nigerian actor Femi Branch has expressed outrage over the arrest and remand of Queen Naomi Silekunola, Alhaji Oriyomi Hamzat, and Abdullahi Fasasi, following a tragic Christmas funfair incident at the Islamic High School, which led to the deaths of 35 children.
In a passionate post on his social media platforms, Branch sympathized with the families of the victims but criticized the charges brought against the event organizers, calling them nonsense. He questioned the reasoning behind their arrest, pointing out that the funfair was scheduled to begin at 10 a.m., with security personnel expected to arrive by 8 a.m. However, reports indicated that parents had already started throwing their children over the fence the night before, leading to chaos and the tragic loss of life.
Branch condemned the actions of these parents, accusing them of endangering their children’s lives and argued that they, rather than the organizers, should be held accountable for the tragedy. He defended Queen Naomi and Oriyomi Hamzat, stating that their intention was to bless the community with the event, not to cause harm.
This is not me being insensitive to the plight of the children who died; it is very tragic. But if the purpose is to punish those responsible for the death, how is it the organizers? Let’s look at the facts on the ground, Branch said. He explained that the venue was locked and meant to remain so until the security personnel arrived, yet people began arriving overnight and throwing their children over the fence, which ultimately led to the unfortunate incident.
Branch criticized the broader societal issues that led to such desperation, questioning how hunger could justify putting children at risk. He emphasized that the organizers should not be scapegoated, and the real culprits, the parents who threw their children over the fence, should be prosecuted.
These people should be set free; they should be released and let those parents who threw their children over the fence be arrested and prosecuted; those are the real offenders, Branch stated. He called for greater accountability and a careful reconsideration of the precedents being set by the case.
Branch’s statement underscores the need for justice for both the victims and those wrongfully arrested, as the public debate continues over who should bear responsibility for the tragedy.