ABUJA, JULY 20, 2024: A total number of 58 new set of Nigerian women and children were rescued from Human Traffickers in Ghana thus bringing the total number of rescued Nigerians in Accra in the last three months to 105.

Chief Callistus Elozieuwa, Chairman NIDO Board of Trustees in Ghana disclosed this to the Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa when she stopped by to visit the trafficked victims at their location in Accra.

A statement by the Commission's Head of Media and Public Relations, Abdur-Rahman Balogun on Saturday,
gave the breakdown of those rescued as
Kano 47, Katsina 5,
Jigawa 2 and Kaduna 4.

Apart ftom the newly rescued ones, 11 more girls, earlier rescued and in the care of NIDO BOT Chairman, Chief Callistus Elozieuwa and the Acting Nigerian High Commissioner in Ghana, Amb. Ifedayo Adeoye have also been repatriated back to Nigeria.

A total of 105 have so far been rescued in the last few months.

The statement added that some of the suspected agents have equally been apprehended and handed over to security agencies and NAPTIP for necessary profiling and prosecutions.

Dabiri-Erewa, commended NIDO Ghana, under the leadership of the Board of Trustees Chairman, Chief Callistus Elozieuwa and his team and Acting Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana, Amb. Ifedayo Adeoye and his team as well as
Ghanaian law enforcement agencies, for their cooperation.

The rescued women and children are on their way back to Nigeria where they will be properly profiled and counselled, by NAPTIP, reunite with their families and rehabilitated by their various state governments

E-signed
Abdur-Rahman Balogun
Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols,
NIDCOM
Abuja.

The leadership of organised labour have been commended for their patriotism and understanding towards the resolution of the minimum wage crisis.

Immediate past Director General of Voice of Nigeria (VON) Mr. Osita Okechukwu, who made the commendation while speaking to journalists on Sunday in Abuja, thanked the Labour Unions for their sacrifice.

He said the labour leaders remembered the blood and tears compatriots shed decades ago enroute our return to democracy, hence saving our baby-democracy and by extension avoiding the unintended consequences of street brawl of indefinite strike.

While identifying the pragmatism and patriotism that played out during the negotiations, Okechukwu said it was remarkable that the labour leaders discovered “the nexus between reality and affordability consequent upon our less than healthy economy.”

He stated: “Paucity of funds and competing demands, not cruelty per se as being alleged, made it impossible for government, especially the sub-nationals and private sector to agree to pay a commensurate living wage earlier proposed by labour.

“Recall that early in June 2024, I had appealed to organised Labour to desist from the danger of throwing away our Baby-Democracy with Bathwater.

“Let me also commend our President, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, for his statesmanship and professional intervention as an accountant to calm down the high temperature the minimum wage impasse generated.”

Okechukwu however appealed to the President to, as a matter of urgent national importance, retool his Renewed Hope Housing scheme by adding mass housing for the uncommon patriotism of workers, to other family stabilisation social infrastructures like the Students Loan and CNG vehicles.

“Rent, which is one of the items in Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, is tearing the hair of workers nationwide, as workers spend one third of their disposal income on shelter-related matters.

“Mr President house ownership for all workers will generate unimaginable happiness in homes as rent, is one of the major headache of over 80% of workers nationwide,” Okechukwu remarked.

On concerns that the issue of funding will be the main obstacle to the implementation of an ambitious mass housing scheme for workers, the founding member of All Progressives Congress (APC) disagreed.

He argued that workers over the years have been contributing 2.5% of their salary to the National Housing Fund (NHF, stressing that all that is needed to the seed money is supplement by Federal, State, LGA and organised private sector.

In the ever-busy markets of Lagos, and other cities and towns across Nigeria, N70, 000 used to wield a certain power, even as it also used to be a passport to modest luxuries, a buffer against life's uncertainties. But today, that once-mighty sum has been reduced to a mere whisper in the cacophony of inflation. Therefore, as Nigeria grapples with soaring prices, workers’ wallets shrink, and their dreams of financial stability slip through their fingers like sand.

As Roland Reagan once said, "Inflation is as violent as a mugger, as frightening as an armed robber, and as deadly as a hitman." Appraised from the foregoing apothegm, Nigeria's inflation rate has become a tempest, mercilessly battering workers’ purchasing power. In June 2024, the headline inflation rate surged to 34.19%, the highest since March 1996. Without resort to sounding exaggerative in this context, the removal of fuel subsidies and the weakening of Nigeria’s local currency fueled this economic storm. But it is food inflation that strikes at the heart of workers’ daily lives. At a staggering 40.87%, it devours their meager budgets, leaving them grappling with rising prices for bread, cereal, potatoes, fish and even pepper which not a few people at the grassroots are allegorizing to denote the fact that the ongoing government been led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is “peppering” the people since he came to power on May 29, 2023. 

Picture this: N70, 000, a crisp stack of naira notes, once promised a month's groceries, a decent wardrobe upgrade, or perhaps a weekend escape to Nollywood's latest blockbuster. But now, it is a vanishing act. 

In fact, recent reports show that the prices of food items have skyrocketed in the last 30 days, with analysts forecasting even higher prices in the months ahead. Data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) disclose that food inflation rose by 40.87% in May 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.  The NBS data also showed the top 10 Nigerian states with high food prices in the review period. 

Without a doubt, the innuendoes and the dance of despair observed by this writer, show that the people are lamenting, and that they are not happy even as their moods find expression in Milton Friedman’s saying that, "Inflation is the one form of taxation that can be imposed without legislation." In fact, it is not an exaggeration to opine that the people, particularly workers whose salaries are typically weak and static, have seen their wallets waltz with despair, and the dance floor is literarily crowded. 

Permit this writer to sound poetic in this context by opinionating that the "Bread and Circuses" illusion wherein politicians promise “Ewa, Cassava and “Agbado”, particularly during campaigns, were all fairy tales as inflation is devouring them, and thus making the promise to become a will-o-the wisp. Meanwhile, we cling to the circus, the escapism of Nollywood, as our pockets grow lighter.

In fact, as prices soar, our silent screams echo through the markets. We bargain, we compromise, but the cost of living keeps rising.

On social media platforms, influencers flaunt designer bags and exotic vacations. But behind the filters lies the reality: N70, 000 won't even buy a round-trip ticket to Abuja.

Without any iota of exaggeration, N70, 000, the once-mighty cash, is now a ghost, fading into the inflationary mist. As we navigate this economic labyrinth, we yearn for stability, for leaders who keep promises beyond campaign rallies. Until then, we count our naira notes, whispering, "Hold on, little one. Maybe tomorrow."

Given the foregoing backdrop, it will not be out of place in this context to say that labor leaders' apparent cheerfulness over N70, 000 in Nigeria's consumer market might seem paradoxical given the inflationary challenges. However, one will not blame them for being joyful as they often engage in wage negotiations with employers and the government, and when they secure a pay raise or minimum wage increase, even if it is nominal, they view it as a victory. To them, N70, 000 may represent progress compared to previous levels.

In a similar vein, N70, 000 serves as a symbolic benchmark. It is a tangible figure that resonates with workers, a rallying point for demands. This is as labor leaders celebrate any gains, no matter how modest, as a sign of their influence.

Still in a similar vein, labor unions exist to protect workers' rights. When they achieve wage adjustments, it reinforces their role as advocates. N70, 000 becomes a shared victory, fostering solidarity among union members.

However, it is essential to recognize that this happiness is relative. Inflation erodes purchasing power, affecting everyone, including labor leaders. Their celebration may be tempered by the harsh economic realities faced by ordinary Nigerians. 

At this juncture, it is expedient to recall that in the wake of the increased minimum wage to N70, 000 per month, aimed at improving the livelihoods of workers that questions have arisen about the practical impact of this wage increase. Many are asking, "Wetin 70,000 Naira go fit buy self for one month?" 

In fact, weighing the propriety of the foregoing question, there is no denying the fact that it is neither irrational nor illogical as it makes sense to ask such question. 

Despite the upward revision, the new minimum wage remains low compared to its peers in Africa. This is as findings reveal that Nigeria, despite being one Africa’s largest economy, has the lowest national minimum wage among its counterparts. Contextually put, Morocco, Africa's sixth-largest economy, boasts the highest monthly minimum wage of $285.61 (equivalent to N428, 415), dwarfing Nigeria's N70, 000.

In fact, the question of affordability looms large. While the increase is a step in the right direction, it still falls short of meeting the demands of workers grappling with inflation, high prices, and economic uncertainties. The rising cost of goods and services, exacerbated by the removal of petrol subsidies, has put immense pressure on household budgets. As a result, N70, 000 may not stretch far enough to cover essential needs for an average family.

To put things in perspective, let's consider some basic expenses: From the perspective of house rent, it is not an exaggeration to opine that in major cities like Lagos that rent for a modest apartment can consume a significant portion of the monthly wage.

Regarding food, a family's food budget, which includes groceries, cooking gas, and eating out, it is very obvious that prices have surged, impacting affordability, even as transportation have become an issue due to unprecedented increase in commuting costs, whether by public transport or private vehicles. 

In the areas of healthcare and education, these essential services also require financial allocation.

However, while bemoaning the relative powerlessness of the N70, 000 in consumer market, it is expedient to agree that the offer reflects solidarity and sacrifice for the Nigerian masses. While it may not fully address the cost of living, labor unions made this decision recognizing the challenges faced by workers. The three-year review tenure ensures periodic adjustments, but the struggle for a living wage continues.

In fact, as Nigeria grapples with economic challenges, the N70, 000 minimum wage represents progress. However, sustained efforts are needed to address inflation, corruption, and economic disparities. The question remains: Can N70, 000 truly provide a decent standard of living for Nigerian workers? Only time will tell, but the conversation must continue, advocating for fair wages and improved living conditions.

Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to replace him at the top of the ticket.  

“It has been the greatest honor of my life to serve as your President,” Biden said in a statement. “And while it has been my intention to seek reelection, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term.” 

In a separate statement, Biden called naming Harris as his running mate in 2020 “the best decision” he has made. 

“Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this,” he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. 

Biden’s withdrawal from the race comes just over three weeks after his first presidential debate against former President Donald Trump. Biden’s halting and unsteady performance in the June debate was widely regarded as a debacle among Democratic elites and donors, sparking a chorus of calls from elected officials, donors and many prominent commentators for Biden, 81, to step aside and not run for a second term. 

Biden said he will serve out the remainder of his term and said he will “speak to the Nation” later this week in more detail about my decision.

As Biden’s 2024 running mate, Harris is positioned to assume Biden’s place on the ticket — including assuming control of most of his campaign resources and infrastructure. 

In his statement, Biden touted his administration’s accomplishments over the past three and a half years. 

“Together, we overcame a once in a century pandemic and the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. We’ve protected and preserved our Democracy. And we’ve revitalized and strengthened our alliances around the world.” 

Biden thanked Harris for being “an extraordinary partner in all this work.”

Because Biden withdrew before Democratic delegates were set to cast their votes in a virtual roll call, delegates are now free to cast their votes for other candidates at the Democratic National Convention. 

Twice, Biden’s decisions not to seek the Democratic nomination for president have paved the way to Democratic women to go toe-to-toe with Trump. After Biden decided against running in 2016, Trump defeated former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the first woman to be a major party’s presidential nominee. Now, Biden passes the mantle to Harris to face off against  Trump with under four months to go until Election Day.  

If Harris were to be elevated as the Democratic nominee, she would surely face her another level of intense scrutiny as Democrats weigh their next steps. 

Harris, who is Black and Indian-American, made history as the first woman and person of color to serve as vice president when she took office in 2021. 

Harris, a former U.S. senator and California attorney general, would be running to be the first woman and woman of color to be president. Harris would be the first president of Asian descent and second Black and multiracial president after Barack Obama. 

Harris, 59, was born in Oakland, California, to her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, a biologist and cancer researcher, and her father, Donald Harris, an economist. She attended Howard University for her undergraduate degree and later earned a law degree from the University of California, Hastings College of Law. 

Harris saw a meteoric rise from local prosecutor to vice president in two decades. She began her career working in the Alameda and San Francisco district attorney’s offices before being elected as San Francisco’s district attorney in 2003. She was elected attorney general of California in 2010, and in 2016, she ran for and was elected to the U.S. Senate seat vacated by former Sen. Barbara Boxer. In 2020, Biden selected Harris as his running mate. 

In the vice president’s office, Harris’ portfolio has included voting rights and addressing the root causes of migration from the Northern Triangle Region of Central America — notoriously difficult policy issues for Democrats on which the White House made little progress. 

If nominated, Harris would be arguably the most forceful supporter of abortion rights to represent a major political party. As vice president, she has emerged as a vocal critic of the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization to eliminate federal abortion rights, as well as of subsequent state abortion bans. In March, Harris toured an abortion clinic in Minnesota, in what is believed to be the first such trip by a sitting president or vice president.

Harris’ emphasis on abortion — both as vice president and potentially as a candidate on top of the ticket — demonstrates the extent to which the party’s politics have shifted since Roe’s overturn, and how meaningfully Democrats have embraced the issue.

“If you had had a Democrat visiting an abortion clinic five or 10 years ago, that would have been really explosive,” said Mary Ziegler, an abortion law historian at the University of California Davis. “Because of Dobbs, the party as a whole is much more supportive of abortion rights than it was. A lot of things she’s done – she’s more supportive of abortion rights than her colleagues, but still within the party mainstream.”

Biden’s stepping aside ends a tumultuous period of chaos and tension among top Democrats over whether he should remain on the ticket. Several Democratic lawmakers and donors — including the prominent actor George Clooney — went public asking Biden to step down in the wake of the June 27 debate. Throughout, Biden and those in his camp flatly rejected calls from him to leave the ticket. But a series of sit-down interviews and a high-profile news conference at the NATO summit in Washington did little to quell worries over his continued viability. 

[19thnews]

Arike Ogunbowale, the American basketball player of Nigerian descent, was voted the most valuable player (MVP) of the 2024 WNBA all-star game following her team WNBA 117 – 109 victory over Team USA at Footprint Center, Phoenix, in the early hours of Sunday.

Ogunbowale had zero points in the first half before posting a record 34 points in the second half of the keenly contested encounter against the Olympics-bound Team USA.

The Dallas Wings sharpshooter converted eight of 13 three-pointers en route to the MVP award; the second after claiming her first honour in 2021.

Her latest MVP award sees her join the trio of Lisa Leslie, Maya Moore, and Swin Cash as the only players with multiple MVPs in the all-star games.

Ogunbowale scored 21 points in the third quarter — which is the most points in a single quarter in WNBA all-star game history.

She also added five assists in a blistering second-half performance.

Speaking after the match, Ogunbowale said an inspiring half-time team talk by coach Cheryl Miller was the catalyst for her record-breaking performance.

“I wasn’t expecting her [coach Miller] to say my name. She just told me to take a deep breath and play my game,” she said.

“I guess you guys saw what happened.”

Ogunbowale has always finished as a top-five shooter in the WNBA since her draft pick to the Dallas Wings in 2019. She has featured in over 180 games in her five-year WNBA history.

WHO IS ARIKE OGUNBOWALE?

Arike was born to Nigerian parents Yolanda and Gregory Ogunbowale on March 2, 1997, in Milwaukee, the United States. The 27-year-old is the youngest of three children.

The basketball star is of Yoruba descent and her name means “a child you treasure, cherish, pamper, and love” in the Yoruba language. Her father served in the Nigerian military.

[TheCable]

DOES Senator Ali Ndume, former Senate Chief Whip, lack table manners, or those he was eating with thought that enjoyment would immunise him against the anger and hunger in the land? Ndume did nothing extraordinary in pointing out that while they feast, compatriots cannot get crumbs.
That he lost his seat as a punishment for drawing the attention of the President to the fact that people were hungry, and that the land was brimming with anger is another indication that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is fully after his welfare alone. His acolytes understand this and run after matters that attend to the needs of a President that many thought had passed the age of scrambling for virtually everything.

Nigerians are hungry. Sending trailer loads of food to the States will not scratch the issues. How many trailer loads of imported grains will we need to feed how many millions of Nigerians? For how long? Does Nigeria even have the money?
Who need the food most? How are we sure that it gets to them? Are we preparing to agonise all over again as we did when billions of Naira voted for palliatives during Covid-19 simply disappeared into private funnels? An identified beneficiary of the Covid-19 pillage has just been nominated to an office where money flows like an ocean.

We need food. We need security. The tangentiality of the notoriously anomalous debates on food and security end up neither addressing food nor security. Our farmers are willing to farm. The land is still fertile but bandits, herdsmen, and kidnappers are keeping farmers off the land. Has government forgotten this?

While thinking about silencing people as solutions to the challenges of Nigeria, I remembered Paul Simon’s 1964 epic folk rock song, Sound Of Silence. Excerpts from the lyrics:
And in the naked light, I saw Ten thousand people, maybe more People talking without speaking People hearing without listening People writing songs that voices never shared And no one dared Disturb the sound of silence “Fools” said I, “You do not know Silence like a cancer grows Hear my words that I might teach you Take my arms that I might reach you” But my words, like silent raindrops fell And echoed in the wells of silence And the people bowed and prayed To the neon god they made And the sign flashed out its warning In the words that it was forming Then the sign said, “The words on the prophets are written on the subway walls In tenement halls” And whispered in the sound of silence.

The purr of a new jet, the superficiality of the President thinking that a new jet and other luxuries he has immersed himself in are what his presidency is about, produce their own silence that deducts his humanity and makes him think Nigerians cannot possibly be so hungry in the midst of his own vastly improving life. If he had not understood his office only in terms of his well-being, he would dread the sound of silence.

•DAN Bilki Commander, a Kano-based, All Progressives Congress chieftain, has accused Kaduna State Governor, His Excellency, Uba Sani of being behind those who handcuffed and caned him for criticising Uba. “They videoed me while beating and abusing me. I was humiliated to the core,” Commander said. A video of the beating went viral. Governor Sani has denied involvement and ordered an investigation.

•THE parish priest of St. Bartholomew’s Catholic Church, Agbani, Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State, Rev Father Linus Okwu, allegedly flogged choir members including mothers, young men, ladies and teenagers for failing to cut the grass on the church’s field. July could be the month of beating and flogging.

•NO tears, some insist, for impeached Edo State Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu who the Court of Appeal has returned to office. On a television programme, Shaibu was ridiculed about his insistence on Governor Godwin Obaseki obeying the court order. Only the Governor, the arguments run, can decide who his deputy is. Where does that leave the courts and their powers? It is not about Shaibu who is barely likeable. It is about the ability of our courts to protect and secure our rights. Already, a policeman has been gunned down without the campaigns in full gear.

•Isiguzo is a major commentator on minor issues

President Bola Tinubu extends his condolences to the government and the people of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam over the passing of General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng.

Nguyễn Phú Trọng was the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam. As head of the Politburo and Central Military Commission, he was the leader of Vietnam. He also served as President from 2018 to 2021.

President Tinubu also commiserates with the widow of the late Vietnamese leader, Madam Ngô Thị Mận.

The President expresses his profound sympathy over the loss, noting the huge influence and efforts of the deceased leader in shaping Vietnam.

President Tinubu assures the people of Vietnam of Nigeria's solidarity at this time of grief.

Chief Ajuri Ngelale

Special Adviser to the President

(Media & Publicity)

Senator Ali Ndume was the Chief Whip of the Senate. His party (APC)—being the majority party—has recently received many whips from Ndume whose bluntness on the Nigeria’s state of affairs is well known. Though his bluntness is well received by the suffering masses, the government in which he is a key actor cannot bear Ndume’s whip anymore.

Ndume has been saying the unsayable. He has been discomforting his colleagues at the National Assembly by speaking the hard truth. The Tinubu’s suffering-for-all government is not happy with an insider who behaves like a fifth columnist. He must be cut to size. To do that, Ndume’s whip was taken away from him. The Chief Whip who was assigned to whip was whipped for whipping (doing his job) by those he called kakistocrats and kleptocrats.

What was Ndume’s offence? He said the obvious: “This government is going down.””This government is populated by kakistocrats and kleptocrats.””I don’t believe he (President Tinubu)is in the true picture of what is out there.”He also claimed the President is being shielded to the extent that people like him, and even some ministers, cannot have audience with him (Tinubu).

Aside from shielding Tinubu, according to Ndume, the kakistocrats and kleptocrats around him continue to give him assurance that everything is right out there. These people must be dangerous. But who are these Kakistocrats and kleptocrats? Ndume did not mention them and there is no need to do so since they are many—it is a long list.

But we learnt, through dictionaries, that Kakistocrats are worst and least qualified citizens who control government and make policies. No wonder the masses cannot breathe! The kleptocrats are said to be corrupt and dishonest people in government who can steal anything (stealable or not stealable) due to their greediness which is essentially pathological. It is no surprise the government is going down!

Now that our President is surrounded by clowns (if Ndume is right), what is the way out? Ndume advised that the President needs those who will look into his eyes and tell him the truth. But telling the truth to a government that is populated by kakistocrats and kleptocrats is like committing suicide. That is exactly what Ndume did and the whip slipped off his hand.

Citing some cases to buttress his point, Ndume explained that President Tinubu, whom he had known for many years, has a listening ear and bows to superior argument. I don’t know how to agree with Ndume on this. What kind of superior argument? To inflict more pain or to abate hardship?

Perhaps, the superior argument Ndume had in mind during the interview has to do with how to inflict the most traumatizing pain on the masses. I wonder how and why President Tinubu was/is influenced by the “superior argument” that palliative—which is meant to be a temporary measure—should be a permanent feature of his government to abate sufferings in the land. And this is a government supposedly populated by technocrats, best brains, and best minds.

However, going by what has become the lots of MOST Nigerians under this regime, it is logical to conclude that Tinubu government, despite the sterling credentials of its appointees, is actually populated by kakistocrats and kleptocrats. On this, Ndume is right.

But isn’t Ndume also a kakistocrat and a kleptocrat? I don’t know if he had turned a new leaf. When he was interviewed two months ago on Channels TV, he said: “We politicians (even if you call us anything) if you compare us to all the corruption, our own is a very small one. Our corruption is people driven. You steal all the money, you go and share it to the people.”

From the interview quote above, it is obvious that Ndume fits the definition of kleptocrat. It is possible he is not a kakistocrat. Even as a kleptocrat, he must be a benevolent one. Because the stealing and corruption Ndume engages in is a people-driven one. Don’t laugh! And due to his ability to speak the truth even when that is against his party (the ruling party), shows that Ndume is qualified to be the best among the worst people we elected as leaders but choose to rule us. For speaking on behalf of the masses in this trying time where no one is willing to speak among the ruling class, Ndume deserves our thumbs up. I cannot hide my admiration for him.

As it is, in most cases, with those in government, any criticism against them is considered sponsored criticism. Disturbed about the battered image of this government which many consider worst in Nigerian history, Ndume claimed he asked those in the presidency if they are aware that people are angry and of what the youth are planning to do (to revolt).The response he got, Ndume lamented, was “yes,”—they are aware—”it is the work of opposition.”

If it is true that Tinubu is being told “all is well” and he is oblivious of the hardship in the land, it is better for the youth to tell him that all is not well. I am aware that some Muslim clerics (whether paid by government or not paid) are condemning this youth who want to cry (protest)—which is the natural reaction to being whipped—under the unceasing whip of this government. Rather than condemn the youth, let’s guide them on how to cry (protest). It is both democratic and constitutional to protest.

That said, let’s join Ndume to tell this government that all is not well! This government is going down!

Abdulkadir Salaudeen

Naija News reports that NiMet’s weather forecast, released on Saturday in Abuja, indicates that thunderstorms are likely on Sunday, with showers affecting areas in Adamawa, Taraba, Borno, Kebbi, Kaduna, Gombe, and Yobe States early in the day.

By midday, thunderstorms are expected to spread across the northern areas, and showers are projected for the North Central region in the early morning.

Later in the day, there will be a mix of moderate thunderstorms and rainfall over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Plateau, Benue, and Kogi States. There will also be scattered showers in the morning across Ondo, Ogun, Edo, Bayelsa, Cross River, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Delta States.

By the afternoon and evening, scattered showers are expected over Osun, Oyo, Ekiti, Anambra, Enugu, Edo, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Rivers, and Bayelsa States.

On Monday, heavy rains are expected in the morning in Kebbi, Sokoto, Bauchi, Kaduna, Borno, Taraba, and Katsina States.

The following day, there will be a mix of moderate thunderstorms and showers in Jigawa, Kebbi, Kaduna, Sokoto, Borno, Zamfara, Yobe, Adamawa, and Katsina States.

Showers are also projected for the Federal Capital Territory and Plateau States in the morning, with more moderate thunderstorms and showers later in the day in the Federal Capital Territory, Niger, and Kogi States. Showers are expected to be scattered in the morning across Edo, Rivers, and Delta States, while the southern regions will see cloudy skies.

On Tuesday, morning thunderstorms with rain are predicted for Yobe, Adamawa, Borno, and Taraba States, while thunderstorms are expected across the northern region later in the day.

Rain is anticipated in the Federal Capital Territory, Niger, and Kwara States in the morning, with cloudy skies in other areas.

In the afternoon or evening, intermittent rain is forecasted in the Federal Capital Territory, Kwara, and Niger States. Morning rain is expected in Edo, Delta, Imo, and Anambra States, with cloudy conditions in the rest of the south.

Later in the day, intermittent rain is predicted in Ondo, Edo, Osun, Ekiti, Oyo, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Delta, and Bayelsa States.

NiMet advises the public to take precautions as strong winds may precede the rain in areas with thunderstorms.

The agency warns residents to avoid flood-prone areas due to the high risk of urban flooding in major cities.

The public and airline operators are also encouraged to stay informed through NiMet’s weather updates for effective planning.

[NaijaNews]

The United States Homeland Security chief, Alejandro Mayorkas hit back Saturday at misogynistic attacks on the female Secret Service agents who threw themselves into the line of fire to protect Donald Trump from a would-be assassin.

“These assertions are baseless and insulting,” Mayorkas said in a statement after some on the US political right accused the Secret Service of “woke” hiring practices they said nearly had the former president killed.

Mayorkas praised the “highly skilled and trained” women serving in law enforcement across the country for risking “their lives on the front lines for the safety and security of others.”

“They are brave and selfless patriots who deserve our gratitude and respect,” he wrote.

The Department of Homeland Security will “with great pride… continue to recruit, retain and elevate women in our law enforcement ranks,” he continued.

It has been one week since a gunman opened fire during Trump’s campaign rally in Pennsylvania, killing one bystander, wounding two others and leaving the Republican bloodied but alive.

Several women were seen among the Secret Service agents racing to shield Trump with their bodies as the gunshots rang out.

But they, along with their boss Kimberly Cheatle — only the second female director of the federal agency tasked with protecting presidents current, former and would-be — are now caught in the intense scrutiny over the nearly catastrophic attack.

“There should not be any woman in the Secret Service. These are supposed to be the very best, and none of the very best at this job are women,” right-wing activist Matt Walsh wrote on X, in one typical far-right post.

Many of the attacks cited Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity — hiring practices that some Republicans have long criticised as discriminating against white people, white men in particular.

“The results of DEI. DEI got someone killed,” read one post on the popular Libs of TikTok account.

The Secret Service has defended itself against such accusations in the past, with a spokesman telling US media just weeks before the assassination attempt that agents “are held to the highest professional standards… at no time has the agency lowered these standards.”

Cheatle, who has so far shrugged off calls to resign, is to appear before Congress on July 22 for a hearing on the assassination attempt.

(https://punchng.com/us-secret-service-agrees-to-review-after-trump-assassination-bid/?amp)

The Secret Service has also agreed to an independent review ordered by President Joe Biden.

Not everyone on the right supported the criticisms.

“I saw two women — one of them with a gun in her hand and the other with her body around him,” top Trump adviser Chris LaCivita told CNN reporter Kate Sullivan, she said in a post on X.

She said he continued, “I know this — a swarm of Secret Service agents put their lives on the line and put their bodies in between President Trump and the bullets, and anybody who has said anything different about those people on the stage is an idiot.”

AFP