 Welcome back to the breakfast here on Plaza TV Africa. Let's now go through the major newspapers and see what stories make the headlines this morning. Before that, we'll say good morning to our guest, Mr. Dimalak Kingbalak, publisher of the podium at Media. Thank you for joining us. Good morning to you, sir. Good morning. Good morning. Nice to be here. Thank you for having me. All right. We'll start this morning with stories from the punch newspapers and see what we can quickly find and share with you. The big one there says, Governors cry out, demand action from Buhari as 21 more Nigerians are killed. Insecurity level now terrible, says Senators. Billo laments Boko Haram's occupation. Security situation very pathetic. Buhari should be told the truth, says Zulum. A National Assembly demands emergency declaration, asks Buhari to seek foreign help. All right. Reports ranked Nigeria third worst country in the world. Buhari appeals to U.S. over insecurity once Africa in Nigeria. And also no fuel price increase without fixed refineries, says NLC. We can also see on the punch, Buhari standing aloof. His body language shows he's a fuller knee president, says, or Tom. Some Islamic leaders finishing or rather fishing in troubled water, provoking Christians, says, can. And also Legos to award fourth mainland bridge contract in December. We can also see here, Tinnubu rubbish's reported rift with Buhari after villa closed door meeting. And also ICPC probes uncovered 2000 tax evading firms recommends prosecution. Those are the ones that we will be sharing from the punch this morning. On the Nigerian Tribune, the headline reads, Autumn blasts Buhari. Alleges president working for the fuller knee. Suspected herdsmen attack IDP camp Q7. Above the headline, a fenifera is 70 today, begins low key celebration. Buhari seeks U.S. support over security challenges once Africa relocated to Africa. And on the state of the nation stories here, Nigeria's situation calls for serious evaluation. That's according to Tinnubu as he visits Buhari. Senate said to meet president. Lawan declares, we must take back this country. Zulam at Asu villa says Nigeria needs support to succeed against insurgents. Reps ask Buhari to declare state of emergency. And below the headline on the Nigerian Tribune stories read, police dismiss three cops over extortion of lasso on the graduate. Confusion at AAU asks to registrars assume duty. Kaduna insists no ransom will be paid to criminals. Ashim Bader here say Nigeria difficult to police. Sell-offs of banking stocks deep market by 0.03%. And all the price rises as OPEC plus sticks to plan to ease oil output cuts. Those are the stories on the Nigerian Tribune. The Guardian, her newspaper is next. Buhari seeks help from U.S. over rising insecurity. A fenifera at 70, footprints of a colossus movement. And also, when you say Governor Autumn weeps as head of the tight Benui IDP camp, kill seven. Stop inciting violence. Khan cautions Muslim leaders. And also $400 million UAE properties traced to top Nigerian politicians. We can also see here tough times ahead for states as federal government incits on bailout repayment. And finally, this morning, 11 die in a lorry road crash. Those are the ones on the Guardian. And lastly, the nation newspaper. The headline reads, senator reps challenge federal government on state of security. That's the nation newspaper. Senators reps challenge federal government of state of security. Above the headline, how ex-governors, others, acquired 800 Dubai assets. President seeks urgent U.S. help on security. Commissioner says, Lagos not phasing out yellow buses. All your traders protest over rebuting approval. Others say, Ibezin takes it as Imun North Governor. Five die in Lagos Ipadon Road accident. And seven killed in Benui IDP camp. Those are the ones we're taking this morning. All right, Mr. Akimola, you're welcome once again. Please go ahead. Let's hear your thoughts. Thank you. This must be a very depressing period for every Nigerian conscience. I'm not sure it's really ever been this terrible. We complain so much of insecurity under the previous administration. But I think what we witness in Nigeria, especially since the previous year, has been at range really. Remember about the month or two ago when the service chiefs were replaced? I did say that replacing the service chiefs would not necessarily solve our security problem. These are deep-seated and entrenched problems that even a foreign support not immediately solved. And we need to ask ourselves, why has Nigeria suddenly become ungovernable? Why has Nigeria suddenly become a hotbed of violence of kidnapping? So many issues. One, you cannot rule out the activities of first columnists who are hard to politicize and discipline this government for whatever reason. Two, acute incompetence on the part of the commander-in-chief, on the part of the furious people in charge of our security. Three, low morale of the personnel, army, police, they are not committed. Okay? They are not loyal and you can't blame them. A nation that doesn't take care of its armed forces during the time of peace should not expect much from them during the time of war. Nigeria is at war with itself now. Okay? So the same armed forces that you have invested time, resources, emotion on, they can't give you what you expect from them. So the long and short of it, the national assembly should stop playing to the gallery. A serious national assembly should be moving the motion for the impeachment of the president because he has failed, really, in terms of security. No matter how much you spend on infrastructure, you need people to be alive to enjoy this infrastructure. So if this government has consistently failed in the area of security, as we are seeing, I do not know the justification that the national assembly has for keeping the president in office. They are going to have a closed-door meeting with him. We don't need a closed-door meeting. Have an open door. Have a public hearing and move a motion for the impeachment of the president on the grounds of incompetence. That is the state where we are in now. Oh, well, I'm not sure if... We don't have to wait till 2020, yes. I'm not sure if Senator Remiti Nibu would agree with you on that one. And all the members of the national assembly who believe more in party loyalty than in their responsibilities as lawmakers. Let's bring you in on the ranking, the Chandler government reports that puts Nigeria the third worst country. We're 102 out of 104. We're only better than Zimbabwe and Venezuela. What do you take on that? It's not surprising. I mean, you and I are living witnesses to what's going on. Okay? Security and safety of the people is the first thing. It's the most critical index of development. Okay? No matter how good your roads are, no matter how stable your power supply is, if people are not safe, then you don't have a country. So I'm not surprised. It's sad, but it's not something that we can truly say is surprising. Okay? It's something that politicians want to debate as usual. But the reality on the ground suggests that Nigeria is not a deep place. Okay? But what we do is our country. It's a country. The only thing we can do, as we've been doing, is to keep calling on government to do the right thing. Okay? This is not PDP APC. And I wouldn't expect the PDP to make too much political capital out of what is going on now. We need all stakeholders to come together and fight this monster called Banditry or whatever you call it. And state governors should stop rushing to Abu Dhabi or looking up to Abu Dhabi for solution. They are in charge of the state. They have huge security votes. What are they doing with it? Okay? As much as we say, okay, the President hasn't done well. What about the governors? Governor Otto, what have you been doing with your security votes? These are the questions the state has of assembly should be asking the governors. Look at government chairman. What have you been doing? So we need to start asking questions from our leaders. And all of them are just worried alone. Governors, even national assembly. So it's a situation that calls for a radical approach. Okay? Because this is how we will be debating and speaking big grammar. And the violence will continue. The kidnapping will continue. And nothing will happen. It's sad, really. Sad. It's quite depressing. You actually just mentioned Governor Otto and asking what he's really doing with security votes in the country. And he's also in the news. I see him here on the front page of the Pensionist paper below the headline. Also on the front page of the Nigerian Tribune. Autumn blasting Buhari, a legend that the President works for the Fulani. He says on the front page of the Pensionist paper, Buhari standing aloof. His body language shows he is a Fulani President. What are your comments on that? Let me ask you a question. Is there any law that prevents Governor Otto from beefing up security in Bernstein? Is there any law that stops him from recruiting people into feudal vigilante groups? So as to beef up security. While waiting for the federal government to do its parts, I ask again, what has Bernstein done? Okay? I saw the video yesterday. Quite, quite sad, quite pathetic. But hey, he should learn to lead by example. You want the President to wake up? You to wake up. And I think we've had cuts to discuss out of head. Last time he went to Wapuja and I said he had just gone there to resist time. This is not a time for showmanship. This is time for action. Which of the state government can we comment for adequate security? Okay? Which of them? I do not know. I want to see a state leading by example. So as much as we blame the President for being weak, we also need to blame the leaders at the grassroots. These states have commissioners. They have National Assembly members. They have various amorphous security organizations. So is it boring that we live at Wapuja to come and secure Bernstein? No. We know that he has his own role to play. Okay? He has his own blame. But let us also be fair. Everybody that is in a position of authority in Nigeria today should share from the blame of this insecurity. Not just worry a lot. The government too. Local government also. Yes. Let us move on to away from security now. There is a report on the Guardian this morning that says $400 million UAE properties traced to Nigerian politicians. You quickly share your thoughts on that. Well, it is something that we have always known. It is not just in the UAE. If you go to London, if you go to America. Nigerians own the choices properties in major capital cities of the world. And those are the process of corruption. Okay? This is the money that should have invested into the country to be for security, to create employment. That is the money our leaders are taking abroad. Those are process of corrupt practices. Okay? So it's not a new to me. We've always known that their siphoning had sources overseas putting this money in Swiss banks. Nigerians own the best purchasing buy. Okay? So this report is just confirming what we know. And it just shows that we are not there yet in terms of party corruption. Said it some weeks ago. A country whose laws contain so many loopholes, the so called and corruption laws, they have so many loopholes to the extent that someone can actually escape two years, three years of imprisonment for stealing so much money. So unweightingly we are providing incentive for corruption. We are rewarding corruption. We are rewarding our leaders who are indulging in corrupt practices. So the laws need to be tightened and the consequences need to be braver. We need to be stricter with our punishments. That's just the way to go. We need to look at those laws and begin to stipulate death sentences if we need to. Okay? If we need to look at China, the things that our leaders cannot do in other countries, they do those things willingly, cleanfully naturally because they know that as they're stealing, they're keeping some for settlement and breving. So I'm not very surprised. Sad. Okay. If you have a question, where is the future of Nigeria? Where does the future lie? There's also something on the punch this morning that's talking about AFRICOM. It says, Bawari appeals to the US over insecurity once AFRICOM in Nigeria. Would you say that that might be an answer to some of our security challenges? It may not be an answer, but it could be one of the things we need to do really. Nobody understands your country more than your own people. Okay? Nobody. Even if the US forces are coming to Nigeria, they'll see them to work with Nigeria and have them come with their soldiers and policemen. Okay? So external support is good. And I think, I remember asking the government to seek external support. But external support has to be complementary. That cannot be the primary strategy. You must have your own security, architecture, well-organized, well-funded. I talk about morale. Are we treating our security personnel well? Are they committed? The ease with which bandits over around police stations, you will wonder if there are no policemen in those police stations. You wonder if they don't have ammunition. Okay? And like I said, you cannot rule out the connivance of people who want to score political points. All right? So if we do not put our hands in order, external support will make little and no impact, as I feel. All right. It's really about this African issue. My question would be, is President Muhammad Buhari justified in his request? Because this is a United States defense command. And President Buhari is asking the US to relocate this, you know, from Germany to Nigeria when it seems that we can't even get our own house in order. Are we really justified in that request? That call is well-justified, okay? Like I said, if you become helpless, if you are at your weekend, then you need support, okay? It's one thing for him to make that request. It's another thing for the US government to assist in that request. So that request is well-justified. Senator Buhari made the same call yesterday or so, asking Buhari to seek external support. Because it's obvious that we cannot win the war against insurgents. We cannot, okay? So while we are waiting for external support, we need to begin to look at areas where we need to improve. Charity begins at home. Okay? What do we need to do? All those loopholes, if we need to recruit more people into the armed forces, let's do that. Let's create a special fund, okay? Maybe for now we should stop infrastructure development and focus on security development. If we need to import more ammunition, how come bandits and criminals have more sophisticated weapons than Nigerian army? Those are issues that we need to look at, okay? So even if the US government grants our request and decides to relocate that command to Nigeria, we need something, okay? We need a very strong foundation. Like I said, it's going to be complementary. It's not going to be the main thing that we have to depend on. So yes, that's called by President Buhari. He's justified. I mean, somebody who is drowning has little or no choice really. Nigeria is drowning security-wise. And also, you know, there's also, you know, the US army commands in other countries that have not really, you know, changed or affected their security situations. There's, I think I read that there's a Turkish... What was it now? I think there's a Turkish military base also in Somalia, but that hasn't really changed much. Like you said, you know, if we don't start from home, there's no external support that will help our security situation. It's very important that we bring in, you know, the factor like you also mentioned state governors, local government chairmen, and every other, you know, political figurehead in the country needs to play a role at a time like this. But it's an ongoing conversation. We hope that we all and the country survives this period, you know, to something like that. We need to demand greater transparency from state governors in terms of how they spend the security force. I've never seen a country where you force too much money for your governor for security and nobody knows how much. From what I learned, it's a budget and nobody can question. Who does that? How do you force someone here to be your leader and you cannot question the way you spend your money? And the same governor is the one that will shout, why don't you do anything? The money that has been trusted into your care, what have you done with it? I mean, it goes beyond buying a few vans and a few motorcycles for the police. You make too much media knowledge about it and people think that you are working to improve security. No. That doesn't even scratch the surface at all. That's not. Good morning. Well, thank you so much for your time this morning. Thanks for starting our program for us. We wish you a great day ahead. Yes, thanks. Bye. Thank you. Thank you. Have a good day. You too, sir. 28th of April. Stay with us here on the breakfast. We're going into today's history next. I'm going to be sharing a very sad incident that occurred in 2012, a car crash that, of course, cost the lives of three journalists here in Nigeria. But I'll be sharing some good news in India. Stay with us.