By George Ozalla
Veteran lawyer and former counsel to the families of the six young Nigerians killed by police in Abuja in 2005, Barrister Amobi Nzelu, has said Nigeria’s democratic challenges cannot be blamed solely on bad leadership, insisting that citizens must also develop the courage to resist inducement, question authority and demand accountability.
Nzelu, who led the legal battle for the families of the victims popularly known as the Apo Six, said democratic institutions would continue to weaken if citizens were unwilling to challenge wrongdoing, particularly when powerful individuals or institutions were involved.
Speaking during an interview with journalists at his home in Abuja, the veteran lawyer said his experience in the Apo Six case strengthened his conviction that citizens must be prepared to stand against injustice, regardless of the institutions involved.
“You pray to God Almighty to give you the grace to say no to evil,” Nzelu said, quoting Proverbs 1:10: “If they entice you, consent thou not.”
The Apo Six killings, which occurred in Abuja in 2005, led to a judicial inquiry and a prolonged criminal trial after the police account of the incident was challenged. Two policemen were eventually sentenced to death in 2017, while others were discharged and acquitted.
Nzelu said the prevalence of financial inducements in Nigeria had made it increasingly difficult for citizens to resist wrongdoing, especially at a time when many Nigerians were struggling to meet their basic needs.
He also criticised the judiciary, arguing that corruption and financial considerations in the justice system had contributed to declining public confidence. He, however, cautioned against assuming that every judicial officer was corrupt.
The lawyer also questioned the level of spending by the legislature, saying public officials should be required to explain how public funds are spent, particularly when millions of Nigerians are facing serious economic hardship.
“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 instead of accepting such practices as normal. He said citizens should be concerned whenever an individual’s spending appeared grossly disproportionate to his or her legitimate income.
“When somebody is spending 50 times above the person’s income, Nigeria should be able to ask questions,” he said.
Reflecting on the Apo Six case, Nzelu said the experience demonstrated that pursuing justice against powerful institutions often required courage, persistence and a refusal to accept official explanations without scrutiny.
He also warned Nigerians against allowing ethnic and religious differences to divert attention from the problems affecting everyone.
“All of us go to the same market,” he said. “Is that market for Yoruba? Is that market for Igbo?”
Nzelu said the survival of Nigeria’s democracy would require more than periodic elections, stressing that citizens must be willing to reject inducements, ask difficult questions and insist that public institutions remain accountable to the people.
