A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Joe Igbokwe, has urged Nigerians to pray for the ex-queen of the Ooni of Ife, Prophetess Naomi Shikemi, following the stampede in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Igbokwe said Queen Shikemi aimed to bring joy to children, but the devil struck.

About 32 children were killed in a stampede during an event in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The incident occurred in the Bashorun area of the city in the early hours of Wednesday.

Following the incident, the Oyo State Police Command invited Queen Shikemi for questioning.

However, Igbokwe, in a post on Facebook, wrote: “Please pray for the kids who lost their lives, pray for the families, and pray for Queen Naomi at a time like this. Over 30 kids gone like that?

“The devil is a liar from day one. She wanted to entertain the kids, and something went wrong. She wanted to give joy to the children, and something went wrong. She wanted to celebrate the kids, and the devil struck.

“She wanted to give the children a sense of belonging, and calamity struck. She did this out of humanitarian concern, and the devil intervened.

“Please, in the name of God Almighty, the Maker of heaven and earth, let us think deeply about this tragedy. She didn’t bring them there to die. She brought them there to be happy.

“She brought them there to have fun. She brought them there to entertain them. Please show love and mercy to this lady at a time like this. It is unbelievable. It is a tragedy. May the souls of these children rest in perfect peace. Amen. An Endless Alleluia.”