Paschal Emeka, Abuja 

The Principal Partner, Amobi Nzelu & Co (Chinenye Chambers) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Amobi Nzelu, has drawn the attention of President Muhammad Buhari to what he described as commercializing the lawful duties of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), to those who can afford their bills, contrary to the laws that established the force. 

He also justifies the demands of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

This was contained in a petition he sent to President Buhari recently and copied to the Honourable Minister of Justice and Attorney – General of the Federation (AGF), the Chairman, Police Service Commission (PSC), the Federal Ministry of Police Affairs and to select journalists in Abuja. 

In the petition, the senior lawyer said by a circular with the reference Number, AV: 4,000/POSSAP/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.1/55, dated 21st July, 2022, companies, VIPs banks, among others were informed and notified of the take – off of Police Specialized services Automation Project (POSSAP) by the NPF.

Raising the alarm on its danger Amobi Nzelu therefore, says that, Section 214(1) of 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended), provides that there shall be a police force for Nigeria which shall be known as the NPF and subject to the provisions  of the section, no other police force shall be established for the federation or any part thereof.

He also posited that it was pursuant to the section of the constitution, that the Police Act was enacted, which, according to him circumscribed the functions of the NPF.

Section 4 of the Police Act, according to him, empowers the police to prevent and detect crime, apprehend offenders, preserve law and order, protect lives and properties of citizens, enforce

laws and regulations with which they are directly charged and perform military duties as assigned to them inside or outside Nigeria. 

Nzelu noted with concern that there is no place in the said section 4 of the Police Act which empowered the NPF to act as a commercial entity or money – making organization.

He warned that such venture would be ultra vires to the statutory functions assigned to the NPF by the Act, the lawyer therefore said since the creation of POSSAP is neither in any of sections of the Police Act nor in the 1999 Constitution of the Federation (as amended) that donated powers to the NPF, its creation or introduction is a nullity.

He informed that POSSAP was set up to collect monies for police orderlies, VIP escorts and guards, special escorts, companies and private infrastructures/facility guards, events security, and those who needed the services of NPF. 

Nzelu popularly known as Apo Six lawyer revealed that POSSAP collects N120,000 per month for each police officer sent to perform such functions, N50,000 goes to NPF and the remaining N70,000 goes to unidentified purposes. 

He said mathematically, if about 50,000 officers were sent to the illegal duty in Nigeria, and if about N60 billion is realized, N2.5 billion would go to the NPF and the remaining N3.5 billion goes to those behind POSSAP.

His request: That POSSAP be stopped within seven days of the receipt of the petition and that all monies collected so far be accounted for and remitted to the Single Treasury Account of the federation. 

Nzelu said if his request isn’t heeded, he will be heading to court, adding that the introduction of POSSAP. will deny the poor and ordinary citizens the services of the Police.

Meanwhile, Nzelu who is popularly known as Apo – Six Lawyer, because of how he volunteered and fought for about six youths allegedly murdered by the Police in Apo, FCT, some years back, has also justified the demands Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has been making on the his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), even as he advised Sen. Iyorcha Ayu to honourably bow out of office as the national chairman of the party.

On his support for Wike, Barr. Amobi Nzelu reminded the PDP members and Nigerians in general that Nigeria is made up of people from the Northern and Southern parts of the country. 

He therefore, said for the interest of equity, justice and good conscience, it is unfair for the Presidential candidate, National Chairman and DG of Atiku Presidential Campaign of the party to come from Northern part of the country, to the exclusion of the South, even as he added that the party’s presidency which was zoned to the South was equally denied the South. 

Hailing Wike for what he described as a just fight and demand, the senior lawyer therefore, urged the Rivers State governor to not relent in his efforts toward ensuring that the right thing is done.

Accusing the Acting BoT Chairman of the party, Sen Adulphus Wabara of carrying out his duties without conscience, Amobi Nzelu reminded him that his actions and inactions would determine the position of the party before, during and after 2023 general elections.

On Wike’s endorsement of Governor Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State for second term, he said that Atiku, Dogara and Tambuwal have done worse things in the past, than Wike, alleging that as Vice President, Atiku worked against his boss, the then President Olusegun Obasanjo. 

He stated that Wike had right to freedom of association under the law.

He said: “I support Wike totally on his demand. You can’t have it all. What Wike is demanding is right, legally and morally. In a country of this nature, Presidential Candidate, National Chairman and the DG, Atiku Presidential Campaign are from the North.

What Wike is demanding is very simple; take this and give us this, so that we can be represented on the table for discussion. There is nothing wrong in what he is asking for. So, I support him. I am a lawyer with 42 years in practice and you can’t read the law upside down. The national chairman shouldn’t resign after the elections. Ayu is a professor. Let him bow out and resign now, because he knows that what he is doing is against the law of the PDP.

Atiku is expected to talk to him, but he isn’t doing that. Wike isn’t asking for impossibility. It is only that they don’t want to do it, because they feel that he can do nothing.

This is unfair. Remember that the presidential candidacy was zoned to the South and Atiku just came from the backyard and took it.

Caption:  Barr. Amobi Nzelu