 Very good morning to you, and thanks for joining us on the run-up. My name is Nyam Gul Aghaji, and I am Uche Chuku Onodu Well today is not a very wonderful day I'm very close to weekend and people are ready to prepare it to say thank God, it's Friday Yeah, a lot of things can still happen. We're throwing back today. It's through about Thursday So I hope you wouldn't be turning up somewhere today. No tomorrow Until tomorrow But today we're remembering something very important that happened two years ago One year after the National Economic Council chaired by Vice President Jamiro Shimbajor Directed states to pay compensation to the victims of police brutality in the country Indications show that many states have yet to comply with the directive Only leaguers or shum equity and the federal capital territory has said to have complied with the neck resolution This is happening as activists say They would hold rallies to commemorate the second anniversary of the NSAS protest at the Lecky toll gate and other parts of the country today Which police has warned against? However two years after the deadly protests many states had yet to implement the plans the panel's Recommendations rather including compensation for victims of the violence in October 2021 the neck After a meeting directed the state governments to pay compensation to the victims of police brutality across the country Following this the legacy government paid 420 million Naira or shun state presented the sum of fifty three point two million Naira to 13 victims in May The Abuja panel paid 439 million Naira and the Akiti state government is burst twenty one point two five million Naira Or your state government said it had paid victims of police brutality who were awarded compensation by NSAS panel We're yet to know the figure of that payment a quiet woman Ben Westates say It was not the responsibility of the state government But that of the federal government to compensate the victims They argued that the state's responsibility was to conduct the hearings and send the reports to the federal government Adding that the protests were as a result of atrocities committed by the Nigerian police Recall that the NSAS processions began as a peaceful protest by youths against the excesses and brutality of this banned police anti-robbery squad But it took a violent turn after he was hijacked by thugs who attacked the protesters And police stations and also looted businesses on october 20th 2020 about 51 civilians 11 police officers and seven soldiers reportedly died in the unrest While scores of protesters were detained Consequently the presidency and state government set up judicial panels of inquire it investigate cases of police brutality and extrajudicial killings Among others following the order 28 states and the federal capital territory set up panels While Yobi, Boruno, Jigawa, Kano, Kebi, Sokoto and Zanfara failed to do so Over 2,500 petitions were submitted to the panels across the nation However, two years after the deadly protests, many states are yet to implement the panel's recommendations Including compensation for victims of the violence in october 2021 the neck after our meeting had suggested that All the recommendations of the panels be looked into They directed the state governments to pay compensation to the victims of police brutality across the country Following this the legacy government paid 420 million naira or should state presented the sum of 53.2 million naira to 13 victims in may the abuja panel paid 439 million naira and the kitty state government is burst 21.25 million naira For your state government said it had paid victims of police brutality Who were awarded compensation by nsas panel? We still do not have the figure that they paid out Aqaibom and benworth states said it was not the responsibility of the state government But that of the federal government to compensate the victims They argued that the state's responsibility was to conduct the hearings and send the reports to the federal government Adding that a protest where as a result of atrocities committed by the nigerian police An ambra state says it is still studying the report of the nsas panel submitted in march 15 2022 during the last administration in the state And meanwhile a global human rights organization amnesty international Has said 14 nigerians who participated in the nsas protest on october 2020 Are still languishing in prison custody two years after the nationwide demonstrations In which several lives were lost and properties Dommaged the group released the names of the detainees on when is they in commemoration Of the second anniversary of the rallies Disclosing that the protesters who being held at agodi correctional center Or your state and kiri kiri medium security prison in lagos without trial Ais country director or sai ojio Lamenter that the proceedings of the panels were characterized by intimidation of witnesses by police Lawyers and prolonged adjournment Among others she regretted that over 40 protesters were still being detained illegally Two years after the nsas protest demanding for immediate release despite reportedly suffering from ill health Today We remember all nigerians who have lost their lives at the hands of uniformed men And uniformed men who also have lost their lives needlessly in the line of duty And women who ever died unjustly or did not deserve to die no matter at whose hands They lost their lives Now we are going to move straight to our first guest for today and the first guest is a seasoned journalist Who was one of the most detailed in the coverage of the nsas? It's our pleasure to welcome this morning nicolas e beque And we are starting off with our first guest this morning on the run-up He is a journalist and he's one of the people who covered the nsas protests. He was very detailed in his report Mr. Nicolas e beque. Good morning and thank you for joining us this morning Good morning liza All right, uh, let's kick off this way. How would you rate the response of the government Two years after the nsas protest happened Well, I think it's not encouraging We have seen some state first. We need to commend those states that are well Going ahead to pay compensation I mean lines have been lost and I don't think Money tree does it does it monitor value to any line that has been lost? Well, at least the money that was paid will provide some kind of Circle and some kind of respite for from some of these people who were killed by the police by the sas Where where the family breadwinners of the families and all of that. So this will go a long way would go into way long way Trying to help the family get their lives together Um, I haven't said that I mean, I think she was to add that um, I am shocked that two years Afterward some states are still the darling and um, they've not done what they should do I mean some have not even started the um family in the first place So I see I do like a five woman. I'm doing as I agree who used to pay the money Um, and the way it's not to pay But anyway, whichever way it is I think the response has that is raised and encouraged I think by now I'm hoping that um all compensation would have been paid But apart from that apart from that, maybe you get to that The one thing that wants me more than payment of compensation Is that we tend to believe that Once the person has been paid then um that is in a rate Anybody or anybody who has been Who has been accused or has been invited as um I'm carrying a solution killing or All of that Funny enough the police man who carried out these Extradition actions Have not been punished So in trying to correct the ease of sars Another exponential action by the police The payment of Of compensation alone Don't cut it. We have to go beyond paying compensation We have to make sure that those people who were invited As having killed people Or having tortured people or having extorted people Faced the full automatic Country with laws. We are not a lawless country. There are laws and punishments for people who I remember who they are Who can make such atrocities What we have seen we entered through and entered panel Is just that it's more like a talk show where people are giving money and the problem has not taken the stand To punish the police that that's what the police has done The police has basically shielded those Who have committed atrocities But as long as this is not done because some of these people ask to leave the police They are still Going about with guns They are seeing And if you don't leave them out of the police and leave them out then face the full of the law Then one day we'll be back to where we have to where we started Which will be disheartening if you ask Okay. Well, some people will just be thinking Because a lot of people have come out to say this answers the killings and all that are not true. We remember just recently An ally of the presidential Candidate for the apc said that if they want to say people were killed At lecky tollgate for instance that they should provide the bodies and statements like that have come up Where people are denying the fact that people actually died on that day, but you covered the I will not want to call it the event, but you covered the protests very very in a very detailed way Can you give us some of these insights that gives you the conviction that these people deserve To be given the kind of compensation. We are talking about what else did you see that they are not telling us Oh People were actually killed people were shot People were killed and I know We all could get this the police be the After after the after the soldiers came in to shoot at him at the crowd and disperse the crowd The police came in as around 2 a.m Till 1 a.m and 2 a.m in the morning and did because some protesters didn't leave some protesters Um Stood bad and continue to protest into the night And the police came up and they were a lot of people were shot and killed. I have pictures. I have videos. I spoke to people who Seek you Shot in the arm another part of the body That was a shame The tollgate is the legacy after my story was published You think because the government have done in and they might wish that shanks and all this is part of their part of their method to On the evening I saw a lot of people I It is also disingenuous for the government to say that oh, let's provide the board because what happened Without the police or the military um Took the body away after shooting them The body was taken away and again I saw sometimes a guy called somebody Michael He is from a tribal I spoke to his brother as we speak to you today We saw His picture when he was shot. We saw his video when he was shot His brother identified him when it was shot at the tollgate. His body has not been seen Till as we speak to you today. He has not written when he was shot I mean it was he was all over it was in both my story He was shot as reported to this person. His body has not been seen. So what happened to the body of Sunday Michael? Who took the body of so easy? If if they are saying that body was shot What happened to Sunday Michael for instance? I'm the and when we keep saying oh, yeah, they are really deep. Yeah, so the Michael's brother came out to identify The one shot Which is he has not seen this body of Hey, I spoke to um an artist. You know in the lecture Not of development going on there. I spoke to an artist and he was working on an other property And he said and some of these artists have come all the way from far and wide Some of them come from many of the port leagues or they come from all the way from Badagri And they will just come to lekkie and they get a job and they start working, you know So as we said four of them went out on the evening Four of them went out on the evening of the shooting To protest that they didn't know these people. They don't know they are really people All the news that they met them at the site and they were working because they were sleeping at the site But in most cases the artist hands the bricklayers the Still at the site until the building is complete One of these Estates that are being viewed you see that most of before the the owner buys them Both of them I'm going to go return He has no way of contacting people. He never came back to site. They never returned. He never sold them And they were at the at the All gates together they have they have That behind As far as it was coming up So that at every point in time They keep moving they keep changing their story If they're still like that, that is That's what is nice So all of that fact I mean We can go on to continue to deny How people were not killed at the lekkie And perform TGD And Your audio is quite bad But I think we've got a point That you're trying to make thank you so much. Mr. Nicholas Ibeque for joining the program this morning For answering our questions as well. It was a pleasure Speaking to you this morning. Thank you so much for coming on the run up All right, thank you very much. Thank you. One question Remains unanswered a lot of questions actually remain unanswered. I mean when we talk about the answers protest and all the You know everything that's led to the point where youths begin to gather in their numbers in different states of the federation A few questions remain unanswered one of which is a question. You just asked me say Ibeque The people really die a lot of people have the answers To themselves and one other question that remain unanswered is who gave the order? There was a shooting who gave the order that question I hope one day we get an answer. Yeah, well Whether we like it or not there are victims and states have begun to pay some compensation Which means it's a partial admittance that things like that happen. Maybe in Lagos They keep saying that nobody gave the order which is not possible and that people didn't die But people have been given compensations and if people were wounded To the extent that they would pay 400 and something millionaire to them I'm sure some other people could have died. We don't have the figure because Officially, we've not been told that this is what happened But on the one side the people are saying it happened the government is saying it didn't happen We don't know who to believe how long are we going to just hope that The families of the people who when I really imagined lost people on that day Will have comfort will find comfort and the souls of those people who We lost will find peace amen And we will take a quick break right now when we return the run-up will continue and in the break We are going to celebrate one of our very own Thank you. Stay with us. We're glad to know you still there and watching us And we also wanted to use this time to celebrate one of our own We'll call her hero. We'll call her meta. We'll call her one of the greatest patriots to ever come from Nigeria Dr. Stella Adedivo who paid the supreme price as well today We're talking about people who paid the supreme price trying to make Nigeria better. She also paid a price By making sure that Ebola does not go beyond the worlds of the Hospital where the first case the index case Was brought to we so we remember dr. Adedivo today and pray that she will rest in peace We've now been joined by professor craze and work for bia one time presidential candidate and convener of country fest Good morning and welcome to the program prof Good morning. It's my pleasure to be on with you Okay, let's start off by saying this is exactly 127 days to election And there are 84,000 For 84 more than 84,000 registered voters 84 million rather million. Yeah, and then we have 176,846 polling units 18 political parties Question is are we ready for 2023? I think that if we follow what INA has been telling us They appear Getting ready for it. They appear like very set and committed to ensuring that we have free fair incredible elections Mahmood, uh, yakuza addressed a few press conference conferences a lot earlier than One would have expected the other day it was about the use of the beavers And he's insisting that he would use electronic voting protocol Rather than the hoopla by certain elements who do not want Electronic transmission of results. So he appears ready for free fair credible polls And then when our dear president was at the hunger In the United States of America, he did say that if there is anything he would do is to ensure that he under him Conducts a free fair credible election as he exits power But let me correct something. I'm good. I think we have about 93 million registered voters according to INEC You know, it was supposed to be about 95 and then if you remove the 2.7 million that they said Double registration to be about 93 million registered voters And the greater percentage of them are young people Today the country is, you know in one place To mark the second anniversary of the ensar's protest How would the memories of that day real or imagined? How do you think it would affect the forthcoming elections? Like you You could read where I was coming from I was I was trying to preempt you and That's because uh today it's um If you like melancholic for anybody who truly has a soul, you know today Two years ago Nigerian young people who stepped out to demand for Um Sars to be reformed The policing protocol to be reviewed And the human dignity the dignity of the human persona in this country to be valued Were meted with the most draconic state reaction to an otherwise peaceful protest and As you and I talk we are aware that across our country Young people have stepped out and stepped up the ante Young people are asking for a new deal a new day a new tendency in governance And a much more responsible and responsive watch And so uh as 2023 says us in the face You can tell that the political farmament is far more tense than ever because the young people are asking for a new dispensation and leadership And I have couched what is about to happen what is about to come as a peaceful balanced based people's revolution I think that the young people like uh what obtained or happened a few days ago in Lesotho Like what happened in Zambia and like what happened in Kenya the young people in Africa rising up And they are asking for responsible and responsive leadership And so 2023 won't be different in this climb Young people will take back their country through the ballot Okay, what how how would you rate the response of government and people to this day in our nation's history? If we had a responsible and responsive leadership If I were president yambo I will address the nation I will talk to young people I will tell them that what it went through two years ago where perhaps The fault of over zealots security agents agents and agencies I will talk to them. I will pacify them I will immortalize this day as a day of youth resistance against ill rule I will celebrate them and that would otherwise have been the way to go but unfortunately We live in a country where leadership sees every coloration of protestation as inimical where leadership sees questions and demands for justice and for review of our protocols as a nation as a position Where leadership is jittery at the commitment of young people for a new deal and a new day But I want to say that whether they recognize this day or not Across the country young people are celebrating their days If you notice across my social media handles I have celebrated the young people because let me say this yambo two years ago Nigerian young people tough the world an example in peaceful protestation For about 10 days they were lucky in the kerja across the otogate They were there peacefully until setting draconic agents of state provoked conflict crisis and violence We tough the world remember it was just a few months or so after the jude floyd mother and the protestations across america and most of those cities about in across america About 130 cities in well over 70 cities in america that was violence But across nangia in abuja in inugu across this country young people tough the world an example in peaceful protestation And instead of saluting them instead of celebrating them over zealots State agents those who do not value civil Democracy those who do not appreciate the right of the people to protest provoked violence and according to the reports of a legal state Inquisition inquiring to the about 45 people were killed about 99 bodies were found after that You know, but as I as I talk to you I talk to you with tears in my eyes with a heavy heart But you know interestingly My solace is in the fact that the young people haven't given up The young people haven't been called the young people are resolved and resolute and they want to take back their country and indeed I see a ballot based people's revolution that will change the order for for the better Okay. Well, we do hope that the revolution comes and it still comes as peacefully as we would like it to be but Just quickly Just quickly now your projection for 2023 Do you think there's going to be a third force because even as we talk about you trying to take back their country people still feel that The status quo will be maintained, you know, they the political elites that have ruled this country for From time immemorial will still continue and there is not going to be a credible third force Do you believe in a third force or is business as usual? briefly Let me say clearly like yamgul in Lesotho A party was formed in march and they won the gerund pools a few days ago In zambia A third force emerged and they said the candidate leading the opposition and the contestation Was a social media president. He won the election in Kenya against the five entrenched families the kenyatta family the iraq moe family The odinga family russ wrote to came from nowhere Against the entrenched forces the presidency and won the pools There's a wind blowing across our nation and indeed our continent. It is called zeitgeist the spirit of the time I want to tell you that I do not see a third force. I see one force And that force permit me say clearly before Nigerians were listening to us is the obedient movement The two major entrants entrenched forces will not win the 2023 polls. You can take that to the bank The Nigerian young people will take back their country through the candidacy of peter gregerio b of the labor party It's one force the people's force Well, thank you so much. I like the optimism and Nigerians gladly Catching the bog as it were and 2023. Hopefully will be greater than all others except for the option a for that brought That was brought in 1993. Thank you so much professor for being a part of our program God bless you. God bless Nigeria All right, and the runoff would continue after this quick break stay with us. Do not go anywhere You're welcome back. We're still here and we're talking a lot of things and sciences there We're remembering our heroes fast and present and wishing that God will take the souls of those who We have lost in the course of our struggle to make Nigeria better We're being joined now by the immediate publicity immediate past publicity secretary of the people's democratic party and Spokesman of the presidential campaign for pdp. Mr. Kola or logbonding Good morning and welcome to the program, sir We don't know about thank you very much. We don't know any ideas Okay Well today we remember and sars protest which degenerated into something that was not the Intention and this brings to question our security situation in Nigeria and we're wondering what your party has in stock for Nigerians security wise if they are going to be elected in 2023 Thank you very much. One Maticu Abu Bakar is the elected president and sworn in on May 29 2023 by the grace of god We have the confidence that we are going to remodel the Nigerian police We have the confidence that we are going to to to to retrain The Nigerian police We have the confidence That article worker as he has promised on the issue of devolution of power Who allow for states community local government policing system in a manner That would depend on intelligence Gathering and we believe that unlike the police system that was added over from the colonials days That the new exigencies will form the training background for incoming officers and men of the emphasis Can your presidential candidate be trusted? We say this because He could not or he has been perceived not to have been able to You know respond to a lot of conversations that has come out Due to the tweets that he he made when Deborah was murdered in the north by Islamic extremists He posted a tweet but later deleted it because a lot of young persons came at him For that tweet and then recently he has been in the news For statements that he made during the meeting with the northerners. What do you have to say about that? Let me make something abundantly clear That among the arrays of Nigerians Asparly to beside our nation Post may 29 2023 That article abu baka de wasiri adama wa the presidential candidate of the people's democratic party stands out As that candidate that's a unifier He stands out as that candidate that believes in the diversity of our nation And who also have a strong understanding Of the nuances of our nation and who has also Committed himself to managing these diversities And what we can find around him Since he has been the public arena Is that article abu baka is that Nigerian that you cannot hold down to his side? You cannot say that he's dbc At all forget what politics is bringing today. Look at where the man is coming from Check his background. Who he is. Who are his friends? Where are his investments? I think this should showcase the kind of a person that article abu baka is Now for those who are tying themselves to who he made a statement in keruna What statement did he make in keruna before going to keruna article abu baka started his campaign from He started he started his campaign first by going to the north west in the state of kanu From there he proceeded to the south west in the state of olio From there he proceeded to the to the zone of north east in the state of bolchi From there he proceeded to south south Sorry to south east in the state of enubu before he proceeded to the state To the zone of south south in in the state of uh, aquaibam Having ladies background having ladies foundation everywhere article went to he told the people I'm a part of you vote for me He also went to keruna on the second as we begin to go to the on the second round of the campaign He was in keruna and he met with stakeholders from the north And the question came up because it is important to go back to what led to that comment There was a question that he was asked to give to advance reason why the north we support him And he said I am a part of you You don't need going outside of me to look for a candidate. This is the paraphrase of what article said But as expected Those who are interested in dragging him to their level as regional bygots Now went around and said that oh, he said it's not good for you in europe He said it's not good for you. That is out of nonsense as far as I am concerned And by the basic understanding of the situation that I have Are you expecting the man to go to the north or to the west and say vote for other candidates? Don't vote for me And the man said I am a pan-Nigerian who has built bridges across this federation And that is clear and manifestly so because when you look at the friends of atikua bubaka They are from the east. They are from the west. They are from the south and they are from the north When you look at his interests the bridges that he has built in the area of investment He's not particular about any section When you look about his look towards his lifestyle Atikua bubaka cuts across this is nationalist who has been voted and elected as the vice president of the federal republic of Nigeria It does not compare to anybody any of the people who are aspiring to be president of the federal republic of Nigeria And atikua bubaka has the experience Which towers are both any other aspirants for the office of the vice president? Okay, it's Sir, we we know his itinerary how he has walked from place to place campaigning But like my lecture I used to say Meanings are in people and not in words and Nigerians may have chosen to interpret it the way they heard it and thought it should be Because we watched the video and a lot not many people would say that the video was something that was saying otherwise But since you say there's a question I respect that the the pdp and the handlers of your principle might just do something And bring the full video to public glare so that we know the question that led to that and what Went on after that. Let's know and damage control the damage together But there is this other issue which my colleague raised that before now There was the case of debora someone tweeted and we know that if you have someone who is handling your Social media, you should have someone that you trust that knows your mind Whether you're there or not can do one or two things someone tweeted that atikua Condemned the death of debora atikua came and pulled down that tweet and said that that was not him Because the it didn't end with a it was not him that said it and we didn't have an alternative So people are beginning to wonder when it comes to security will he be sectional when it comes to security Is he strong enough to take decisions? And even the problems rocking the pdp right now a lot of people feel he should have taken a stand But now we see governors from pdp endorsing other governors from a very critical state like legos for instance And we have not seen something positive from atikua. Is that a lesa we should trust Thank you very much atikua baka remains the leader The nigerians have absolutely trust in And I can say this on the basis of what I know of atikua baka And this has nothing to do with politics In 1999 when he came into office as the vice president of the very republic of nigeria along with president to lushev mo opa soto atikua baka as a manner as a way Of controlling the state of security as a den Encourage his principal To recruit policemen And no fewer than 10 policemen were recruited in that administration To manage the situation then And I want us to be mindful Of the fact that atikua baka retired as a customs officer Where he had the responsibility to manage the territorial integrity of our nation And this has influenced his thought's direction To say that when I am elected as president and sworn in on May 29, 2023 I would deploy the use of technology To man our territories particularly our border lines And he could say this because it is common knowledge Among legends today that those who were responsible For the insecurity situation That we had in our country in the beginning Where bandits who crossed our border lines And he has said that the border line though porous That the best way to manage the insecurity situation And stop insurgency on a final note Is to force bringing to man our border line And he has the experience to talk about this We have also spoken to the issue of The Discomforting disagreement within the people's democratic party And I respected atikua to take some measure Though we didn't list or we didn't mention the measures you expected him to have taken But it is clear that atikua buwaka has been talking to those Who are in disagreement With certain individuals within our party And if that is not peace process, I don't know what other name to call it On the late Deborah God bless her soul You have said it that atikua has given his own reason And you have also said it That we should find a way of managing the situation in The aftermath of what happened in kaduna and advise which I take seriously And I want to leave this matters as this All right, thank you so much mr. Kola for joining the conversation this morning on the run-up. It was beautiful speaking with you Thank you so much Thank you very much. I love this All right, it is still the run-up and we are having conversations around The ends at anniversary, but we're going to take a quick break The news comes up at 12 and after that we will return and we will continue having these conversations Do not go anywhere. Stay with us