 You're welcome back to the breakfast on plus TV Africa. It's now time for off the press the segment of the breakfast So I would take a look at the national dailies and make sense of it today We're invited public affairs analyst mr. Ezekiel. Yeah, I took to join us. Good morning. Thanks for being here Good morning always a pleasure to be here fantastic. All right. Let's begin with a punch in his paper the headline reads Ipob Masab asylum Offer to protect those who need it UK replies FG The rider says updates to the Biafran separatist notes expected shortly says UK. Hey commission Offer confirms victimization of Ipob Masab and that's according to the Southeast women's professional in youth and Above the headline we see the story here saying Nigeria businesses lose 29 billion dollars annually to poor electricity. That's according to the World Bank knocked down tractors experts worry as Senate approves fresh 1.5 billion dollars and 995 million euros loan a Professor here saying pantomy was Imam when 80 BU Muslim community issued fatwa fatwa is Death sentence we believe it should fatwa and killed my son in a mask Pantomy was Imam when 80 BU Muslim community issued fatwa Killed my son in a marks and below the headline here on the punch in his paper We see the stories here saying police trail gone men over ambush and killing of amoteco operative Soldiers tackle police as Kaduna Vasity students Abductors demand 800 million Naira Abia max drug lord's house for demolition Ndla arrests baron with 100 kilograms of cocaine Under monarchs demand more policemen as three construction workers kidnapped We can't end terrorism without weapons COAS chief of Amnesty staff tells Senate and lastly here on the punch newspaper Chinese loan conditions install 1525 megawatts and four billion Dollars a man be the power project on the front page of the punch newspaper. You can see the picture of a road and the caption here says this is shongo bus stop or song or bus stop and Ali is boo And along the legos a becata expressway. This is song water one state on Wednesday We can see the state of the words there very bad We can see how much you know water has basically, you know gathered there state of the road very bad All right, we need your for structural work going on in every part of the country moving on to the daily Independent let's see what we can find over here. I remember Shala. We are to allow rift deepens Loyalist clash of our shown depth profile Senate okay, he's Buhari is 2.6 billion dollars external loan request. We're still taking more money And also the big one there in security federal government town hall meeting adopts state police One's attorney autonomy rather granted local governments Recommendations to be presented to NEC today Also gunmen killed to two policemen burned station in Enugu Legos plans own power market to generate supply and PFN urges Buhari to address call for separation Senate blast customs for budgeting to billionaire for retirement incentive and federal government caution the lead promoting Disintegration once they will suffer breakup consequences more. We can also find here Greenfield University students have doctors demand 800 million Naira ransom on the Guardian newspaper Senate approves Buhari's fresh loans of 1.5 billion dollars and 995 million Euros and meet rising debt. We saw the story again the punching's paper It goes on to say more worries as a papa. This is a Below the headline more worries as a papa gridlock worsens defies ecolop solutions FAC silent over pantomies alleged link to Al Qaeda and Taliban customs in pounds 42 drums of explosives from Benna Republic Gone men kill one have docked 23 at Greenfield University Demand 800 million Naira ransom over 1600 inmates still at large six months after Benin jail breaks and We see an editorial here above the headline on the punching spray on the Guardian newspaper It says federalism is the answer after all And now let's move to the nation newspapers Senate okays government's plan to take 1.5 billion dollars and 995 million euro loans Also Apple acquires Nigerian app for 1 billion dollars Man kills mom over property buries her inside compound Also on the nation this morning Akira Dulu rejects a Jai is offered to return to vehicles And also killings abductions in all your own dough Kaduna in Ugo and Delta Abductor's of Kaduna varsity students demand 800 million Naira I'm a tech cooperative shot dead and three policemen killed in another attack on station We can also find on the nation this morning. No cash for police the new IG Usman Baba laments Nine suspects arrested over alleged over attack rather on Soludo the CBN says don't reject lower dollar bills We think we'll take a pause here and bring in our guest mr. Isikio I talk. Thank you so much once again for joining us Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Thank you for having me All right, go ahead. There's a lot of these stories. Which where would you like to start from you see? We run a country where we really don't understand the fundamentals of governance And it bothers me Because I've always said and a lot of people agree that after God the next most important institution is Government I've said this before and I say it again. I want to look at one two three institutions Number one. I want to look at ebom air. Okay number two. I want to look at Our super egoo's and number three. I want to look at our government if we look at these three institutions Nobody's going to bring just anybody to be the pilot for the CEO of Ibom air because they want it to be Profitable so they do very rigorous profiling to make sure that they make they get the best person that understands the Number two, we look at our super egoos. There was a time when we had to remove our son sia-sia in Nigeria and to bring in a foreigner We needed a competent coach to take us to the world cup and yet when it comes to our country We really don't think that it's important for us to interrogate leadership profiling not just at the presidency Or at the governor's level, but who are our senators who are our house of reps members? Who are our governors? How do we choose these people? Do we really understand their role? We really understand how important it is. Let me come down to the basics as of today Chapter 2 section 14 subsection 2b of our constitution states Emphatically that the security and welfare of the people Shall be the primary purpose of government. I'm quoting directly Chapter 2 section 14 subsection 2b in which case the two elements are security and welfare if we understand the essence of government as enunciated Expressly in the chapter. I just put it chapter 2 section 14 subsection 2b of our constitution that says the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government if we Appreciate that and I gave you the ebom a illustration. I don't know where you stop hearing me boom the Super egoos and Nigeria where we do not joke with who we profile as The leader or the driver of ebom air, you know, and we don't joke with who is going to be the coach of the Nigerian national team But why do we Think that anybody can be our president anybody can be our national assembly member Anybody can be our governor. I think the time has come when we need to understand the implications Why do I bring this up a man like panter me? It's safe that a man who was beaten by a snake becomes afraid of everyone if you have any trace at all whatsoever to anything that has to do with insecurity Boko Haram insurgency just for the sake of Ensuring that you do not as much as Entertain any of this stuff. Mr. Pantami himself ought to do this nation the favor Let me put it that way of stepping out number two, I'm getting really really really Frustrated as a person with our president and What frustrates me is that I don't know to what extent he is aware of what is going on in the nation And I know that I've had a lot of reports about how he's a good man in love this country, but I want to say that Things make me to Have a second thought completely and for a man that has just Barely two years to leave office out of eight. I think that his advisors his family members his friends Wishing well should really go and have another conversation with him. Okay, and see to what extent he can finish All right, Mr. A. A. Toke. Let's turn to another big story. We've seen on the punchiness paper this morning It reads iPod Massob asylum offer to protect to those who need it UK replies the federal government we if you recall the United Kingdom had granted asylum to members of iPod and Massob You know on the basis of a political persecution the federal government had replied to this You know basically criticizing the UK for their action, but the UK has replied now saying that You know they protect who need protection and that all human rights claims You know received from Nigerian nationals are considered on the basis of international merits and in accordance with international obligations Do you think this move by the UK basically justifies? You know the stance of you know iPod and you know maybe even reinforces You know what human rights activists have been saying that these people indeed have been prosecuted in the country You see it still does tells from where I started from We have people in government who don't understand the dynamics of problems and international diplomacy and policies if they did as act today, they will be able to read the Body language of what I should call the international communities Okay, now in a country where iPod says we don't want to be a part of Nigeria You know that agitation is a global best practice so to speak And when there is an agitation What a country does is to interrogate the agitation and not to victimize the agitators And We see iPod being prescribed as a terrorist organization. It's like what's going on here at the really terrorist So was you you know the word terrorist is an international You know it sends you know waves into the system and the interrogate And it's difficult for you to really see I Terrorist organization particularly in a country where the Fulani headsmen are not branded as such and I don't like some of the things that I put You know, I don't like some of the things they did, you know, but I Don't that it comes close to what goes on in the northern part of Nigeria so with this the international communities have seen and branded it as Victimization and the moment you put a group of people who are agitating as a Victimized group. The next thing is for you to rally round to protect them. And that is what I was just Okay Was to show itself as not Victimizing the people by way of interface by way of dialogue. All right, miss. I am talking No, we actually we actually got pretty much what you said miss. I am talking, you know, you're emphasizing on the importance of You know, you've been emphasizing on the importance of you know, basically interrogating, you know Investigating agitation trying to find out, you know, where are they coming and how can we solve that? Rather than victimizes people. We actually got your point. I want us to still talk security issues You've I'm sure you must have also been following the Greenfield students abduction It's in the news this morning that there is an 800 million Naira ransom that has been demanded You know, it almost starts to sound like, you know, we We haven't solved our kidnapping problem in Nigeria We have a new inspector general of police and there was of course some hope that tactics will change Things might be different. But what's your reaction to this and you know, we remember they're still I think 39 They were kidnapped in Katharuna a lot longer ago. We're still in captivity till now. All right. We seem to We're struggling with saying I talks network this morning. We hope that we can reconnect with him In the news the Greenfield University students who were kidnapped There's a news across the papers this morning saying that there's an 800 million Naira being demanded for their release and it once again takes us back to conversations on abductions on ransom being paid on our security setup How can we put an end to kidnappings? Is this the new business in Nigeria for criminals? And how easy really is it for? Criminals to just walk into a university and take as many students as they can, you know, lay their hands on and disappear How porous, you know, you know, I mean, it's just so much, you know, where do you take these people through? Aren't any, you know security checkpoints along the roads as much as they are in the southeast and have you know heading from You know, Lagos to the southeast how easy is it to take dozens of people, you know into captivity What are the parents of these students going to be dealing with, you know, right now? And of course the prayers that they will all come back alive and you know, they would be rescued I'll send it to you a couple of days ago. How do you expect a person who? Barely ends, you know, 100,000 every month A family that maybe has parents that are retired has only three kids that are, you know Still trying to find their way through life And then there's a 50 million Naira ransom on one of them Where do they get money from? And the kidnappers are saying that, you know, they're basically torturing the students and that That's normal tactic And that if they don't, you know, bring the money they're going to kill them That's that's no more tactic I can imagine that there's a lot of people in Nigeria today that are in debt because they have to borrow money to Pay ransom, you know, and free their family members I can imagine that there is a lot of those, you know People who have to reach out to uncles or family friends to take one, two, five, ten, you know, million In order to get their family member back, you know, out alive Does the Nigerian government, you know, have a properly set up negotiating team? You know, in our police force, do we have a properly set up negotiating team That will be able to have proper negotiations with these kidnappers? Find out where they are Find out, you know, if there's, you know, possibility of paying ransom I mean, I wish that was true But people who have had, you know, issues like this Will tell you that even the police will ask you for money for a charge card That they don't even have a charge card on their phones They would ask you for money to fill their car That they need money to do these investigations So you would begin to fund the police Fund the government, I mean, you're an extension of the government Fund the government to make sure that your loved ones are returned home And so Fisaya Shoyombo shared something that he experienced sometime last year A friend of his who was kidnapped And, you know, their journey till they finally got him released You know, he was kidnapped with a colleague The person who they asked to bring the ransom money When he dropped the money, one person was released And then the person who dropped the money was kidnapped Was taken And so they had to, you know, spend another two weeks Negotiating and finding ways to make another ransom payment For these two new people now that were kidnapped And all of that And in that period, you know, according to his story He barely got any assistance from the Nigerian security agencies From the police and from whoever He barely got anything Only thing that he, you know, that came in handy Was a private security person or consultant Who was with them all through that period And helped them throughout the negotiating And ran some payment and all of that It's not a good place that we are as a country And we can't cover it up with trains We can't cover it up with, you know, some level of infrastructure That has been fixed Who is going to ride those trains if nobody is safe Where are those trains going to take anybody to? I mean, what will the current administration boast of? And what do we really brag, you know, with? Talking about infrastructure that you mentioned It just leads me to the next story We've seen this, you know, on the nation newspaper We saw this on the Guardian as well It says Senate approves, you know, the Guardian reads Senate approves Buhari's fresh loans Of, you know, 1.5 billion dollars, 995 million euros And mid-rising debts And we know that just 11 months ago You know, the president also, you know, got approval To borrow about 5.5 million dollars as well Infrastructure deficits That's what they're saying they want to use this money for And this is despite public concerns About Nigeria's rising debt profile We saw from a president's governor of those states Gordon Owaseki, you know, mentioned this recently And he's generated, you know, attracted lots of criticism You know, from the government, you know, talking about this And regarding this, you know, debt issue Thank God we're having a... Miss Anya, welcome Yeah, welcome back We're sorry about that What can you hear us now? I can... Okay, so we're talking about, you know, the rising debt profile in Nigeria And the Senate's approval of Buhari's fresh loans That's unit of, you know, billions of dollars and millions of euros And that's amid the rising debt profile of the country So the Senate basically saying is that this loan You know, is for infrastructure development And that they will be funded By the Export-Import Bank of Brazil To finance the government's, you know, agricultural projects And that also this, you know, money will be funded Also by another bank here that they mentioned So what do you have to say about this? What are your comments about this constant borrowing, you know To fix infrastructural deficits in the face of rising debts in the country? If you can, please squeeze your thoughts into a minute So we can wrap up the program Go ahead, Miss Anya, talk I think that there's a feedback I'm getting, let me try to really help you go on this Number one is that there's absolutely nothing wrong in getting loans Absolutely nothing wrong If I had my say like where would people borrow a lot more That we have a very, very sensitive technical challenge And that challenge is that we have not been able to be professional In the way we do things When you go borrowing, it's one of the most sensitive Undertakings you can do on behalf of a nation or a people Because a debt is a debt It has to be paid back So people who are petropic and responsible Will scrutinize and look at the exit strategy And think beyond their channel in office It's not enough for you to say, oh let's get things done So that they will say we did this And at this point I think I need to caution Nigeria Because imagine somebody who thinks of tomorrow And plans and lanes foundation And is extremely professional and catastrophic And he leaves office having laid foundation Will we remember those people Or will we say oh we didn't see the school that built We didn't see this that they got That's why we need to have like a certain consistency We need to come back and re-interrogate our governance structure Because we need to have something that can stay sustainable for 30 years All these people coming for the next four years Or eight years to also show they did this and leave And whatever debt they accumulate They say it will be paid back after our time It is killing this country We need to come back and re-evaluate Our governance structures and systems and processes These are the things that govern this So why do you say they have grown that low Is it because they know this is what is in the larger interest of the country Which is based on governance Or is it because they also need money to get done What they want to do so that they can look good Notwithstanding whatever the larger implication is All right, Mr. Keryanthok Thank you very much for your time this morning We apologize for the slight network issues that we had to deal with But we always appreciate your conversations on the program Thank you for joining us Yes, thanks again I appreciate you Thanks so much You're welcome Stay with us here on the breakfast It's plus TV Africa on a Thursday morning And we're going to be back after the short break To tell you what happened today 22nd of April many many years ago Stay with us