 reports that the case fouls of Sunday in the host aid who are standing trial are missing. Council to the DSS says the fouls were stolen by robbers. Gas increases across Nigeria with the NNPC blaming it on under supply but experts worry that Nigeria flares too much gas to be important the same commodity. And we have in a conversation with the former Lagos State Commissioner for Fiscal Planning and Urban Development. He'll be talking about the government plans for residents. Welcome to the breakfast and plus to the Africa. It's a very beautiful morning today. Thursday the 9th of September 2021. Thank you very much for joining us on the breakfast. I am Annette Felix. Good morning and thanks for joining us and welcome to Thursday morning's edition of the breakfast time. So a friend of mine who's based in Abuja and runs a radio show has a segment he calls you can't make the stuff up. And our next uptrend story really portrays you know this particular theme of this radio show. And it is that amrobers in the federal capital territory have robbed the most feared security agency in Nigeria and stolen case files belonging to Sunday Buhu's aides. Now here's a backstory July 1st 2021 right operatives of the Department of State Services went ahead to the house of Sunday Buhu to arrest to raid the house first of all. They raided the place. They arrested 12 of their aides and they have been in DSS custody ever since. Now these aides have found a fundamental right suit against the DSS seeking a hundred million narrow end damages saying that they had been detained for more than 48 hours without a court order or court judgment and immediate trial immediate parade and that that all was a breach of their fundamental human rights. And the whole case went to trial and there was a hearing yesterday Wednesday September the 8th and what happened was during the court session Barista Aou the council for the Department of State Services DSS told Justice Obiora Egwatu on Wednesday that his colleague who has conveyed the document to the court bordered a vehicle that was hijacked by some one chance criminals who carted away the file and other personal items. Now the DSS council has now applied for an adjournment of the hearing. Now reacting to this Pellumi or Lajengbesi one of Igbohu's lawyers he went on Facebook on a rant saying this claim by the DSS is shameful and ridiculous and that if the DSS can be robbed in the city of Abuja what then is the fate of the common man. So questions questions really for me is first of all Osawa Ge. I want to believe that the Department of State Services have official vehicles that they used to carry out official assignments and it makes me ask questions regarding the validity of the claim that they had bordered a public transportation which coincidentally happened to be a one chance vehicle that was attacked by robbers or belonging to some robbers who then did not steal their phones did not steal other possessions did not kidnap them did not hurt them but specifically went for case files in the possession of a DSS official. And secondly the question I open with really how can I am robbers rob the most feared or one of the most feared security agencies in the country. I was hoping that I can talk about this without laughing because it's actually hilarious but yeah you know the fact that you know he works with DSS doesn't have DSS written on this forehead so you know robbers don't necessarily you know pick and choose or this one is a doctor this one is a lawyer this one is DSS official yeah. It doesn't make it less ridiculous and I think that word doesn't even describe exactly what this story is like I think it's an insult to that judge. So you think I'm robbers just target papers you just look for. No if this is true or you think that if this is true which I highly doubt they there's not he doesn't say that he didn't take his phone it says that the file was taken so he might have taken they might have taken it with every other thing. Once again I think this is an insult to that judge that you boldly and stand in court and tell that kind of story that you know your DSS official who was going home was it taking the files home to give assignment to his children. He said he said he was conveying the files not conveying. So I mean what is what is a DSS official doing with court papers on his way home or on his way to the market. They didn't say on his way home. So where was he going. So once again I think it's an insult you know to that judge and apparently is a lawyer the DSS lawyer not not this official. It's once again an insult to that judge. It also says a lot about the processes with which we carry out you know Justice in Nigeria there's no electronic processes you know because some of all these things should have been put on a database. They should have been they should have been scanned exactly and uploaded on a file put on the computers. What are we still using paper because eventually you know those papers end up with people who frack are at the roadside and you when you back are you see some court papers that belong to people from you know 1992 or 2005. But it's an insult you know another thing is why I think this is completely ridiculous and it's an insult to that judge is because these are some of the things that we've continued to do to store cases to delay trials and for a long time we've talked about you know how the criminal justice system and the whole of you know judiciary is you know almost a clog in the wheel of justice because of cases that take five ten years and you know never really just you know come to light and these are some of the reasons aside the fact that yes the justice system the lawyers all of them prosecution and defense they all have their own challenges these are some of the reasons and the DSS is brazenly insulting that judge by telling that kind of story that's one chance you know he entered one chance and they have seen sweets by Nigerians and if you want to lie lie properly you can understand where they're coming from when they believe that this story is untrue. No it probably it probably is you know whatever they could think about that morning like let's use this you know story it might work but it's an insult that you couldn't even think of a better lie if this is false that you couldn't even think of a better lie you know to tell that judge and of course now the case has been adjoined the people in question you know who are being who are on trial here apparently one of them is a woman who had filmed I believe she's one of the people here who had filmed the or who had streamed the invasion of Igbo's residence live on Facebook I believe she's one of those people who wasn't released they have been charged with terrorism charges and some of all of that it is completely mind-blowing to see these things play out and see how the DSS has reduced itself to this level and it's embarrassing and I don't know and one of the things that I will continue to say is I don't know how some people really do not have any shame you know when they carry out some of all these things so I want to give them the benefit of that that it actually is true but even if it is they should be ashamed of themselves that that is what happened to the case files of one of the most critical cases currently going on in Nigeria it is embarrassing to the person and it's an insult to that judge who had to listen to that story and eventually you know very likely adjoined the case to further notice it's also an embarrassment to the DSS that that is the process through which they move around with court documents inside public buses or inside Keke in Abuja it's a shame so if you say that's a shame how then would you describe what seems to be like campaigns in Nigeria talking about our next option in the story and it's been described as a theatrical display you know politicians campaigning for votes ahead of elections and this is former CBN governor Saludo he has gone to the markets the pictures will be on your screen on the second day he has gone to the market to speak with the market women people traders and he has been prizing stockfish pepper you know foodstuffs food items and that to be seen like most people would describe it as you know close to the people you're close to grassroots and Nigerians if you follow what's been said on social media say they're not buying it this time they're used to this format they used to this template of when it's close to elections get ready to see a politician in the market doing market runs with you on your next trip there and that's it there he's conversing with people setting purpose that garden eggs looks like garden eggs there and he's been pointing at those market items you know shopping shopping publicly and the people ask questions does he do market runs every weekend by himself or was that just for clout we spoke about this yesterday clout chasing on the social media and really it's what people have been saying others have described this as laughable as well you know photos of the governorship candidate of abgab you know Professor Charles Saludo an ex-CBN governor buying food items at the popular Onnicha main market that really is what it is so again yeah well for this he's I believe the abgab candidate for the November 6 elections and this was also shared on Soludo TV apparently there's a media a little media social media house called Soludo TV where this was shared so I read through some of the critics you know and obviously this is not the first time that we're seeing things like this there's still pictures of Adam Sushumala eating corn on the internet there's pictures of I really fire shade in Amala you know there is different positions exactly you know that there is always these things that happen but I'm gonna I'm gonna speak and you know different here it might be criticized but a lot of people on social media who see this as just a charade you know and you know stereotype Nigerian politician when it's time close to elections you go down and start doing these things that you know none of these people will see you again after for the next eight years after you win and that's what they always do but I think it's it's important that we realize that I think they have seen that these things work a lot of the people who criticize you know these acts a lot of them who on social media don't even vote so you might see these things now and laugh and say oh you know Nigerian politician so little shame on you and all of that but a lot of these people don't actually vote the people who vote who very likely will be on it you know out for the elections are the people that they go to me so I think they understand that these things work it might look you know shameful that you know these are the tactics that Nigerian politicians have to use but it tells a story and it paints a picture of what Nigerian politics grassroots politics really is it is not done on social media it is not done on television necessarily it is not done in any other place but in the grassroots so even if yes you know he goes out once or twice and buys con today tomorrow he's buying a batcha the next day he's you know you know by knock back as long as these things they understand that these things work and you can look at the faces of those women in some of those pictures they're excited to finally see chow soludu is chikum out yeah chikum soludu yes or both of them so they're excited to finally see him face to face and if this is what you know is required for them to maybe campaign tell people around them that you know let's vote for him he bought con from me or he bought a batcha from me or bought stock fish from me they understand that these things work grassroots politics is very very important in Nigeria's political space and a lot of times we ignore it because we are looking for a totally different narrative concerning our leadership group and process we want to see politics done better we want to see campaigns that are carried out better we want to hear campaign speeches and promises or you know a person that knows what he wants to achieve for the people but a lot of these people don't have all those plans so instead of going on stage to tell you about the economy of the state and how it's going to develop these roads and it's going to build this infrastructure and I was going to you know build more hospitals and some of all of that they rather just do it the grassroots way by reaching out to some of these people that they know okay so my my response to your train of thought is this what's the motive for that grassroots way what is your intention what is what is the motive for that grassroots way is that really what you intend to first of all is that how you have been is that do you connect the grassroots fundamentally has your political line have your political history been characterized been been characterized by you know interaction with the grassroots or was that just a one-day media campaign you know get your your your your photographers to be on standby for when the woman do women smile is that what it is so we need to know the motive here are you trying to play on our intelligence are you trying to make a fool out of us because we know that this is something that have that you as you have said have proven to work right so is that what this is or is this just a continuation of your person is it just a continuation of your desire for service is this just these are things we need to begin to question not you come into you know spring pictures in my face and think all market women are happy and then I vote for you well I mean we're bigger than that Nigerians should demand better well once again you know it obviously might seem like a scam but once again politicians have continued to do these things over time Nigerian politicians and the reason they do it is because it actually does work grassroots politics actually does work you can see even local government chairman house of assembly members counselors every now and then will go to you know their small community gather the youths they and buy them alcohol and buy them you know drinks they may not see that person again for the next one year but whenever he comes around he has little bags of rice onions as a given to women given to the young boys in the society that's what grassroots politics is and that's what works for them they take five people and that is terrible because you got me alcohol for me to get over excuse me you can't give me alcohol for me to get a hangover say oh my chairman and then my kids can't go to school because I can't afford paying the school fees see you see these guys around where our studio I interact with them people see me interact with them these guys who smoke who do all of this and I speak to them because I'm a journalist and I want to know their perspective some of them tell me that their kids at home because they can't afford 25,000 era school fees but politicians will come around the beach and then give them money for alcohol so how do you tell me that you exchange a bottle of drink for my child's future it doesn't make sense I think you're getting it wrong I am not getting it wrong people should demand more from their government demand more accountability demand more I mean government should do what government is meant to do and not bribe me with onions and Akara so I think once again I think you're getting it wrong this if you if you if you say it is bribery that means listen if you say it is bribery means that the elections are tomorrow and take this con or I'm buying Akara for you go and vote for me tomorrow no it's not I have recorded electoral map practice would you please on camera and we've seen it on CV so this is not bribery this is what they describe as in quote grassroot politics and it is not necessarily because he's giving that person alcohol to go vote for him he is showing them some level of connection he's he's he's putting himself in their place even if it's for one day it doesn't matter it doesn't matter it is called grassroot politics and once again we want better and I get it that Nigerians want better alcohol is better now let's just use our cause an example so Nigerians want better and you want to see a better campaign you want to see a better run campaign the truth is the road between where soludo you know left his house and go to this market is bad I'm sure that he had to go through very very bad roads to get to this place to take these pictures you want better you want him to say better things you want him to actually have a plan that is fine but how many people who want these demands listen how many people who want these demands that you're talking about would go out to vote how many people who want these demands that you are mentioning now these you want to see him on stage like it's Donald Trump and you like Clinton I didn't want to say that I have repeatedly said what I want for night see when Nigerians want to vote look at history look at antecedents where this politician that has just come up and he's buying you alcohol and he's giving you a bag of rice and he's telling you oh I care about you look at his history look at his antecedent where's he coming from has he doesn't have a track record of grassroot politics does they have a grass doesn't have a track record of you know serving humanity that's why we do our research that's why for example we brought up what is named Kingsley Mogulu the other day and we question his history and we question you know his intentions that's why we journalists have that duty to dig up that story and bring it to the fore for the people to see my point once again is no matter how you paint it and what you would rather have the reason Nigerian politicians keep doing this is because they know that it works we're so regardless of whether you you want to see a you know a better structured campaign you want to see that we have history of being you know close to the people and some of all of that it may not be very very relevant to him at this point he wants to take an Ambra state he wants to be governor of an Ambra state and for him to do that he needs to connect with the people who would spread his message it's connected to the people who would be able who he knows will actually come out and vote that that's what it is we until we get to a place where we're 200 million people until we get to that place where there is more youth population you know among the voters there's more females there's more you know 40 year olds 50 year old bankers doctors every spare of life in Nigeria until we get to that place where those people actually come out on election day and we see that our election figures out of 200 million people 80 million 90 million are voting until we get there they're going to continue using these same tactics which are wrong and it's not me just to find it it's wrong but they have seen that these tactics work so until we get to that place where me you everybody in this office knows that on election day we don't necessarily have to be here on screen we should go vote because we know how important it is that we can get 100 million people 100 million voters out there people monitoring the elections people sharing you know videos from the elections monitoring the transfer of result and all of that they will continue to use these same tactics because look at the lines on election day who do you see there how many doctors do you see there how many bank mds do you see on the line on election day elections a few weeks ago and it was terrible so and that's what I'm saying so it is these same people these same mama and her songs is grassroots politics you really just need to serve yourself to them on their level it's deceptive politics regardless of what it works deceptive politics because that's not your true character and that's just a charade we can take a break here on top trending you can jump in the conversation on social media we had plus TV Africa on all platforms and stay with us we'll be back to analyse the papers on off the press