Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, has attributed the deaths of 115 Nigerians during recent food stampedes in Ibadan, Abuja, and Anambra to the negligence of the Nigerian Police Force.

Falana made this assertion in Akure, the Ondo State capital, while delivering a public lecture organized by the Ondo State government in memory of the late former governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu. The lecture, titled “Security Sector Reform in Promoting Peace, Stability, and Development: The Ondo State Example,” marked the inaugural event in a new lecture series.

According to Falana, the tragic incidents occurred because the police failed to fulfill their constitutional duty to protect citizens. He stated, “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 due to these failures.”

He urged the Nigerian government to address the root causes of social insecurity, including widespread poverty, unemployment, hunger, and illiteracy. Falana stressed that without addressing social insecurity, physical security—protecting lives and property—cannot be guaranteed.

The lawyer also praised the late Akeredolu for his commitment to justice and his efforts to enhance security in Ondo State. He highlighted Akeredolu’s establishment of Amotekun, the regional security network, as a groundbreaking initiative that set an example for other states in Nigeria.

“Today, all 36 state governors have come together to approve state police, but it was Akeredolu who laid the groundwork by enacting the law that legitimized Amotekun. That singular action has made Ondo State the most peaceful state in Nigeria,” Falana said.

He concluded by emphasizing the importance of sustaining Akeredolu’s legacy, noting that preserving and building on his achievements would be the greatest tribute to the late governor.

Osamu Suzuki, the visionary leader who transformed Suzuki Motor into a global small-car powerhouse, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 94 after battling cancer, the company announced on Friday.

Suzuki, born on January 30, 1930, in Gifu, Japan, led the company for over four decades until his retirement in 2021. Under his guidance, the company’s sales grew more than tenfold, evolving from a regional automaker into an international brand renowned for its compact, fuel-efficient vehicles.

Suzuki married into the founding family and became the company’s president in 1978. Despite his success, he often referred to himself as an “old man at a small business.” His strategic focus on lightweight “kei” cars made Suzuki a market leader, thanks to their fuel efficiency and ease of handling.

Osamu Suzuki also spearheaded the company’s international expansion, forging key partnerships with General Motors, Volkswagen, and, most notably, a capital alliance with Toyota in 2019.

One of his greatest achievements was establishing Suzuki’s dominance in India, where the company’s subsidiary, Maruti Suzuki, holds the top position in the automobile market.

When he stepped down as chairman in 2021, Suzuki Motor’s annual sales had reached 3.18 trillion yen ($20 billion), a monumental increase from the 323 billion yen recorded when he took over in 1978, according to the Nikkei Shimbun.

Osamu Suzuki’s legacy lives on in the company he helped build and in the innovative small cars that continue to drive his vision of accessible and efficient mobility worldwide.