By Faith Anisiobi, The Sight News
Veteran lawyer, Amobi Nzelu, has called on Nigerians to develop the courage to resist wrongdoing, reject inducements and demand accountability from public officials and institutions.
Nzelu, who led the legal battle for the families of the six young Nigerians killed by police officers in Abuja in 2005, said Nigeria’s democratic challenges were not caused by bad leadership alone but also by citizens’ growing inability to question authority.
The killings, popularly known as the Apo Six case, led to a judicial inquiry and a prolonged criminal trial. Two policemen were eventually sentenced to death in 2017, while others were discharged and acquitted.
Speaking during an interview with journalists at his residence in Abuja, Nzelu said his experience in the case strengthened his conviction that individuals must be willing to stand up against powerful institutions when confronted with injustice.
“You pray to God Almighty to give you the grace to say no to evil,” he said, quoting Proverbs 1:10: “If they entice you, consent thou not.”
The lawyer said the prevalence of financial inducements in the country had made it increasingly difficult for citizens to resist wrongdoing, particularly amid widespread economic hardship.
Nzelu also expressed concern over the judiciary, arguing that corruption and financial considerations had contributed to declining public confidence in the justice system.
He, however, clarified that his criticism did not imply that every judicial officer was corrupt.
The veteran lawyer further questioned the level of spending by members of the legislature, saying public officials should be required to account for their expenditures at a time when millions of Nigerians are struggling economically.
According to him, the responsibility for addressing Nigeria’s challenges should not be placed solely on politicians.
“The hope lies in our resolve to say no and to ask questions,” he said.
Nzelu urged Nigerians to question unexplained wealth and public expenditure rather than treating such practices as normal.
“When somebody is spending 50 times above the person’s income, Nigeria should be able to ask questions,” he said.
His position, he explained, was shaped by decades of legal practice and his experience handling the Apo Six case, during which he challenged the police account of the deaths and pursued the matter through judicial inquiries and the courts.
He said the case demonstrated that achieving justice often requires persistence, particularly when powerful institutions are involved.
Nzelu also cautioned Nigerians against allowing ethnic and religious divisions to distract them from issues affecting the entire country.
“All of us go to the same market,” he said. “Is that market for Yoruba? Is that a market for Igbo?”
For the lawyer, strengthening Nigeria’s democracy would require more than conducting elections.
He said it would require citizens who are prepared to ask difficult questions, reject inducements and insist that public institutions remain accountable and serve the interests of the people.
