 The Central Bank of Nigeria releases guidelines for financial technology operation in the country. They include a shareholder's fund of two billion Naira. And activists say suspect paraded by the police as a gunman is innocent. Family members say he only came visiting and was unjustly picked up. We're talking about these and many more issues today on The Breakfast. Welcome to The Breakfast on Plus TV Africa. We're going to very quick break and we'll be right back to give you what is the top trending. Welcome back to The Breakfast on Plus TV Africa. It's now time for top trending. So many issues really have made the headlines in the past 24 hours and one of them really is about the constitutional amendment review that has been holding across the nation. Analysts have been calling for this saying let's take a look at our constitution and try to adjust to where it's not working. So at one of the constitutional review that held in Lagos we saw a drama that occurred due to registration and entry into the hall in one of the hotels in Lagos here. So what you're seeing on your screen basically is an altercation between Senator Olura Mitsunobu and Nigerians who are trying to simply gain entry into the hall to make their voices heard. So the gist of the story basically is that some Nigerians had been on the queue waiting to register and gain entry into the hall but then they were told that registration had ended. That's by the fact that they were told that registration had ended. Some top government functionaries tried to gain entry into the hall and they were letting through the back door and the hall was shut and the registration was allegedly ended when Lagos State Governor Babaji Desongu came in through the back door. So it was closed. Top government functionaries came in and then they were also let through the back door while ordinary Nigerians who had come to air the opinion were not allowed entry into the hall. So this top government functionary was going through the back door. Senator Olura Mitsunobu was trying to lead this person into the back door and Nigerians followed that top government functionary to say if he can be allowed in, we have been on the queue, we were getting as well. And you know Senator Olura Mitsunobu began to exchange words with Nigerians and what we saw on the screen was that she called one of the women a thog. And you need to see the woman, she looks decently dressed apparently and she was called a thog. Nigerians did not have it. They were insisting on an apology but Senator Olura Mitsunobu said she saw what she saw, she said what she said and she would not issue a retraction, she would not issue an apology and Nigerians basically began to banter. That's what we've been seeing on social media now. And this is a big issue because beyond this particular incident, the name Olura Mitsunobu has not been in the news for very fantastic reasons Otarage. Would you agree with me? Good morning. Good morning. Good morning Nigerians. I finally mean let's into the conversation. Good morning. So, well, Mitsunobu has more times than a regular found in controversial situations. So I think it was sometime in 2019 before the elections. While during the campaigns had said to a person on the streets of Lagos Ibo people would not say would not they trust her now. She made a statement like that, which was seen as tribalistic. And then, of course, lately we also spoke about her statements in the National Assembly where she was asking Senator, are you now PDP simply because he was complaining about the situation in the country. Basically saying as long as you're with the party you should turn a blind eye to whatever chaos Nigeria is dealing with at the time. And then now this. So I would always be able to realize that yes, a lot of people are human regardless of what position you are in society, government official, public servant, wherever you are. You're still human and every now and then the human part of you will spark, which show itself. But it's also demanded from public officials and from persons in certain spaces and certain fields, just like journalists. I'm a decides once again of course in the news because of a new video of him slapping somebody else. And people have also condemned that. Regardless of who you are, you should be able to control your temper, control your tongue, control your reactions to certain things. And that's what's expected of you. So it should be the same thing that is expected of a senator who has been there for many, many years, representing Lagos Central, I believe. There are certain words that you shouldn't use. And you cannot take away the frustration from Nigerians when they see things like that playing out. They are trying to get into the Constitutional Amendment hall and of course they have to see that the doors are locked but people are coming in through the back door. And so that was the reason why there was some commotion at first and then she stepped in and used the word thug. But I would give it to the people who were there, who were present and the woman herself who stood up for herself. And of course said, you have to apologize, I'm not a thug and some of all of that. And a couple of people also joined in to say the same thing. And I give it to them for being at that place and realizing their rights as Nigerians and the fact that a senator hasn't been sent there to serve. You're not a god, you're not a demigod, you're not anyone's father or mother. You were there to serve the Nigerian people and you cannot walk around throwing out insults at the people who put you in that position. And so she should apologize. If we were simply in a, I would always say in society, she should put out a public apology to that woman who was insulted because she in every way was demanding what she believed was rightfully hers. And even if Remi Tulibu didn't think that she deserved it or it wasn't her right, you didn't, of course, warrant her being called a thug or being insulted. So once again, I would say, could those Nigerians who stood up for themselves and were able to make a statement clear to the senator that you have absolutely no right in any part of Nigeria to throw around insults like that at the people who have put you in that position, who have allowed you to be in that position to, in quote, serve them. I think, you know, many lessons from this story. First of all, the fact that Nigerians, okay, the first thing is, I was concerned when this, you know, constitutional review came up because I was like, sound like me, I would love to be in that hall, not as a journalist but as a Nigerian to air my own views. But when you look at the timing, you know, people have to go to work, people have to go to school, how would they be able to make out time from their busy schedule to do that? That was my first concern. But then to see how Nigerians have made that sacrifice to attend, that's the first one, kudos to them. Secondly, they went there, they queued, they waited for God knows how long. And then some people, because they are government functionaries, these people, you know, in particular, they were lawmakers from your state, you know. Other Nigerians were locked out at the front and they were bringing in government officials through the back door. You are no more important than I am. Why should I be denied entry? I had taken public transports, maybe even climbed an Okada or a tricycle to come to that place. But you had, you know, you had sat comfortably in your cars, your driver had driven you there, you relaxed, and then you're getting provincial treatment left and right. I don't think that should be. That should be one of the things, if you're talking about constitutional amendments, that should be one of the things we're looking at. Everybody should be equal in the sight of the law. Do you understand what I'm saying? I'm not saying of your station. I thought you said, you know, they need to have many concerns to let people enter. I mean, people should get equal treatment, you know. Absolutely. So that's really the first thing. The fact that, you know, this corruption of a thing, you'll be on queue, on a queue for hours, and then somebody who knows somebody who knows somebody will just come down from a big car and will just get ushered to the front of the line. That really isn't cool. It's not a great message to pass at a constitutional review hearing. Also, the fact that, you know, Nigerians could speak up, like you mentioned, and how she could just make statements like this. To be honest, I have no expectation for Odore Mitsu nobu regarding how she should behave and not behave, because she has proved herself. Yes, I understand when you said human beings, you know, they can be human beings. But as a leader, there's a certain character and certain reputation that is expected of you. Even if that's how you are indoors, when you are out, you should behave and comport yourself as is demanded of a leader. You don't come out to call someone a thog. This is an elderly woman. I mean, you could see how properly dressed she was. Someone who probably has kids and grandchildren and you open your mouth and call the woman a thog, and they ask you to apologize, and you say, I said what I said, I saw what I saw, and you would not apologize. Wow. That really doesn't sit well with any Nigerian. We also have something else that is trending. A man who has been arrested and... Yes, we're talking about a man called Mr. Ibi. Okay, first of all, there's a picture that went viral on social media. It's a picture of about four or five Nigerians, many of them stripped, you know, their shirts off. And the statement from the police is that these are unknown gunmen who were arrested. Once that video, once that picture surfaced, that's what you're seeing. Five male Nigerians, you know, their hands tied with their clothes. Okay, seems the police didn't even have enough funds to purchase handcuffs to start with because they're tied with, you know, fabric, basically, and stripped, you know. These very, very important issues really aside, we have to mention them. And when this picture surfaced on Twitter, you know, with the Inspector General of Police saying that these are unknown gunmen, you know, they were paraded, they were arrested, Nigerians immediately began to comment. You know, someone said the man on the far right, the man with the white shirt, the man, you know, with that red, you know, drawing this, you know, pointing to him. You know, people began to say, this man is my uncle, this man is my husband. I know him, this is Mr. Ibe. He works with a company called Evermite Construction Company. He works in Bonnie Island, the River State. You know, he's a native of Imbalitolu in Imo State. Apologies if I didn't pronounce that right. He's married, he has kids. He worked in Bonnie Island with his son that he had come to Oweri to prepare for the burial of his father, that his father's burial was supposed to hold this Friday, tomorrow, May 28th, 2021. He had left Bonnie Island to Oweri to come bury his father. And unfortunately, he was maybe in the wrong place at the wrong time and he was arrested. I mean, that's the picture of Mr. Ibe there with his wife and his kid. And the last picture you saw of him, you know, clad in a copper tire. And basically, people are saying, this man is not a criminal. And just when you think that, oh, maybe you're old, the other guys are criminals. The other picture, you know, the other four men, people began to say, oh, you know that man, that man in the middle, his name is Daddy Fresh. He's my barber. He cuts my hair in the mention in the name of the community. People say, oh, this man is my barber. I know him. The other guy, people say, oh, he's a fabricator. I know him. So Nigerians began to speak up. And people said, the other people now who maybe they have no access to the internet or they have nobody to speak up for them, how would they get justice? People began to say, I know these people. The police is notorious, like we already know, for just going to random places. Maybe they're head of a crime and they just pick up people. One particular situation in my own area, the barber in my area, he cuts my father's hair, cuts my brother's hair. We all know this man. This guy was just walking around on an environmental Saturday. And he mentioned that, you know, a boss just stopped and they picked him, put it in the bus. They took him to the station. They put a load of weed in his hand, took pictures and said they're cutting with drugs. The whole community had to rise up, go to the police station, contribute their money for a bill to say, no, we know this guy. He's a barber. He's always in the shop. It wasn't an environmental Saturday for Christ's sake. So the police is notorious for doing things like this and for just the justice. So this, you know, I would, you know, just still, you know, leave a little space for police investigation and some truth. You know, the fact that, you know, they have jobs doesn't, you know, completely rule them out of the possibility of being gone men still. People have jobs and still commit crimes. So there is that. And then second, you know, this, you know, is also a reminder of the numerous cases, you know, and the possibilities of, you know, hundreds, thousands of people who are currently languishing in prison cells because they don't have people who would fight for them and speak their truth. They were arrested, picked up randomly and thrown into jail. And, you know, you probably would never see them again, you know, because they were accused of some random crime and just thrown in there without going to court. So there is that. Also, you know, it's another, you know, time when we, once again, as, you know, people should speak against the police of parading suspects who have not been found guilty, who have not been sentenced, you know, to jail or anything, but simply picking up people or arresting people and parading them. The EFCC does this a lot. And I've continued to complain and speak against this. If a person has not been found guilty, then you should not, you know, publicly parade any person and, you know, tag them with any crime. But this is, you know, just yet another incident where this is happening. Luckily, you know, some of these people know them or rather have people on the outside who know them facially and have been able to identify them and say, you know, I don't think this person is guilty. You know, this person is this, this person is that. But we, of course, you know, there's a lot of work that needs to be done with the police force, you know, to refurbish the police force. You mentioned the fact that they are tied with clothes or their shirts, which is embarrassing for, you know, the, you know, giant of Africa that the Nigerian police force doesn't even have handcuffs. You know, if you were actually going to, you know, arrest people at the stage that they were, they shouldn't even be in handcuffs. You know, they, you know, if you decide that you want to parade them. But they are tied with shirts, you know, which is a very, very hard and embarrassing thing to put on, you know, on display. So there are so many, so many, many angles, you know, that make all of this wrong. I hope, you know, that somebody does actually point out these things. And of course, one thing that I've also noticed, you know, with the Nigerian police is when there's public outcry for action, every young Nigerian at that point in that community is at risk because the police would always try to find a way to show that they're acting. They would always try to find a way to show that they've taken some action. And it could be innocent people, but they need to, you know, tag them in, you know, unknown gunmen or ungun known men. They need to find, you know, a way to prove to the people that, oh, you know, we've made some arrests. These people, you know, like you've said, are very, very likely to have no business with the unknown gunmen or with any crime. But the Nigerian police wants to show that while we are working. And, you know, this is the result. So there's so much that is wrong. I read a story yesterday on Twitter of a guy who shared a story. And it's not the first time I'm hearing something like this. Two guys who were driving, they were going on a short trip and on their way, you know, a policeman flagged a soldier, oh, sorry, a policeman flagged them down, you know, for a lift. You know, so they gave him a lift. A friend, you know, was very, very not interested, you know, in this, you know, little gesture that the driver was about to do. And so he complained and complained, but eventually they gave the policeman a lift. After, you know, dropping him someplace which wasn't where he said he was going initially, they decided to park the car not long, you know, not far off. And, you know, just check where he was sitting. And they got back, they got to the back of the car, raised the foot mat and saw two bullet cases there. Luckily for them, they, you know, did that because they probably have heard of stories like this before. They threw those bullet cases away. He called one of his friends who worked in the police force and that one told him, okay, when you get to the next checkpoint, then, you know, let me know if there's any problem. Immediately they got to a checkpoint. They were stopped. The policeman focused on that spot where this guy was sitting. And from what he described, he said that they weren't even standing on the road, but immediately they saw a car that, you know, looked at the description. Exactly. They immediately jumped up, you know, and asked them to stop. Then he called his friend. The friend spoke to one of the police officers. And, you know, after a couple of minutes, they asked them to leave, you know. So police basically plant evidence in people's hearts? Well, these are people's stories. You know, it's not the first time. I've heard a story like that before in the southeast. So it's not the first time that, you know, these things happen or I've heard things like this happen. But it really just tells, you know, about a system, you know, the criminal justice system, the police system in Nigeria that is so, so, so poor that, you know, when some of all these things happen, you don't, it doesn't shock you anymore when you see things. It's just really, really disappointing. Really disappointing. Once again, these people, you know, that showed up in that picture, luckily, half persons who recognize them and have social media. Yes, who are active on social media. Exactly. Who can speak up for them. Imagine those who didn't get, you know, this lucky. Imagine those who didn't even get their pictures posted for people to identify them. Imagine those who are languishing some police cell right now when only boxers have been there for the three weeks. Nobody can speak for them. You know, there was a prison outreach that we had. And one of the guys in the prison mentioned that he was in emo state. He had an altercation with his neighbor, and maybe he slapped his neighbor's wife. And because of that, the neighbor arrested him from emo state. They transferred him to a prison in Adamua. He has never heard from his family member since then. So you can imagine, maybe the family would say, oh, my husband went out and never came back. So till now, like no family member knows where this guy has been in prison for God knows how long. So, I mean, remember we talked about top trending yesterday, today in history yesterday, and we talked about how police in the U.S. wanted to prosecute somebody, and they conducted 28,000 interviews. They had 7,000 pound of evidence, such that when they get you, they get you. There's no wrangling out of it. It's not to say that there are no people in the U.S. prison that were there wrongfully or for not committing any crime. But they do that due diligence. They carry out investigations. A Nigerian policeman would just come. Okay, he heard there was an issue here. He would just go there. Anybody who was there, they just pick you in the car, and they take it to the police station and say you are a suspect. Is that how you conduct investigations? Then you bail yourself. If those guys are suspects, maybe they were there, why don't you ask? Why don't you interview them? See if maybe they saw somebody, saw something that can lead to the arrest of the real suspect. Then you just arrest people randomly. It's just so unfortunate. Once again, it just exposes the rots in the system, our security system, in our security infrastructure in general, and the need for so much more to be done to improve on where we are, to save innocent lives, to also be able to carry out proper investigations. The amount of the billions of Nair that is invested in security every year needs to be accounted for, properly accounted for. Unfortunately, we have an audit to general of Federation and we have not been able to see proper auditing of every single budget. Yes, there is a percentage of utilization every year that they release all the budget, which is just so-and-so percent and all of that, but every single penny that goes into the police force, the Ministry of Interior should find a way to ensure that every single penny, if it was meant to buy weapons, if it was meant to buy uniforms, if it was meant to fix police stations, if it was meant to buy vehicles, every single penny, computers, CCTV cameras, whatever it is, every single penny should be accounted for. It is sickening to see suspects still being tied, you know, hands being tied with their shirts. It is sickening and we don't see, that is animalistic behavior and it's a pity that, you know, this is where we are, but welcome to Nigeria. I think the police needs to remember that it was a situation like this that led to the Enta's protest when Nigerian police force or Nigerian policemen just harassed, intimidated people for no just cost. They need to keep that in mind if they want to avoid another protest anyway. Let's take a break here and we'll come back to discuss off the press, see what's trending in the newspapers this morning with Mr Ezekiel Eitok.