Human Rights Lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has blamed the Nigerian Police Force for the deaths of 115 Nigerians during recent food stampedes in Ibadan, Abuja, and Anambra States.
Falana made this statement in Akure, the capital of Ondo State, while delivering a public lecture organized by the Ondo State government in honor of former governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.
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The lecture, which was the first in a series, was titled “Security Sector Reform in Promoting Peace, Stability, and Development: The Ondo State Example.”
Falana argued that the tragic incidents occurred due to the police’s neglect of their constitutional responsibilities.
He said: “The deaths of 115 Nigerians in the recent incidents in Ibadan, Abuja, and Okija are unacceptable. The police failed to protect the people, and I hold them responsible. The government must pay compensation to the families who lost their loved ones because of these failures.”
He urged the Nigerian government to address social insecurity, which is reflected in the rising levels of poverty, unemployment, hunger, and illiteracy in the country.
He stressed that without a strong social security system, the physical security of citizens—ensuring the safety of lives and property—cannot be guaranteed.
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