My dear fellow Americans and lovers of democracy worldwide, I speak to you today as the presumptive nominee of the Democratic Party and as President of the United States of America, a great country and land of opportunities, a beacon of hope for many and a standard of democracy for all.

Our country is about to embark on elections slated for November 2024. The stakes are high, and those elections can shape the future of America and the world as we know it.

In America, we have an important choice to make and a crucial question to answer: Do we give the number one position in America to a man who is a self-serving liar, bully and narcissist and allow those who think it is okay to disregard and disrespect all we stand for or allow hope and peace, respect and honesty, liberty and progress to continue.

I know Donald Trump; I debated and defeated him four years ago. Together, we stopped him from destroying our country and corrupting the world even when he desperately violently tried to destroy our age-long democratic institution for his reckless and blind ego, pure personal material interests and his innate inability to play by the rules.

That victory allowed us, in the last four years, thanks to an inclusive team of diverse, talented and dedicated Americans, to rescue the economy and change the course of the pandemic, put more people to work than any time in the history of the USA, rebuild our infrastructures across the country, lower the costs of every day expenses for most Americans, produce more in America and expanded benefits and services for toxic exposed veterans like it has never been done in the history of America.

Now, there is a man who is clearly a danger to democracy and unworthy of the public trust going about the country spreading lies, fear and hatred, trying to deceive people into giving the key to the white house to serve his unhealthy and immoral interests and to destroy most promising things we stand for. Donald Trump is breeding a dangerous mindset and rearing a scary set of people who think it is OK to hate, lie, cheat and insult others. We must not allow that to happen.

Like many fellow Americans, I understand what is at stake, and we know how to stop this looming danger of hatred, recklessness, selfishness, tyranny, and opportunism.

As I did four years ago to stop Donald Trump, I have put myself forward again for the benefit, hope, and legitimate aspirations of the many against the immoral interests of the few. That is what democracy is about, and this is what our America is about. Democracy is about equality, hope, and transparency.

In my heart, I believe I can still do it; with your support, we can fend off this manipulator and continue the great things we started four years ago.

I know there are concerns about my age and vigour, but I disagree; I feel strong and capable. However, I will suspend my candidacy and allow my party to consult and represent a candidate for president of the United States of America. I will suspend my candidacy not out of fear or weakness but of love for our nation and democracy.

My suspension, which is not done lightly, will show Americans of today, those unborn and the rest of the world that in America, there are leaders who are not in politics for themselves but for the love of the nation and democracy and that when we say we listen, we genuinely listen.

The election is not about me. I have been privileged to serve my nation and democracy for decades in many capacities, and I have always done so patriotically and with dedication to the common good. That will never change.

I want you, my fellow Americans, and the world to know today that democracy is to be served, loved, and protected, not exploited for selfish interests, hatred, fear, and divisions like Donald Trump is trying to do in every step he takes and every word he utters.

It is heartbreaking to see that too many Republicans do not have the clarity of mind and courage of voice to vigorously denounce the menace and bag of deceit called Donald Trump, even after they have seen and heard him show his disregard for everything good about our democracy. I salute those who have done so. History will be kind to them for their efforts and courage to stand up for our nation and democracy.

Democracy is love for humanity, respect for the law, and hope in the people. This vision tells us that even when we think we can serve if truly serving is all we want to do, it does not have to be us and just us in the commanding position.

Love for humanity means we must always consider the concerns of our fellow human beings; hope in the people means we must trust not only the people’s vote but also believe that someone else is good enough among our people since we all abide by the rule of law. That is why we must all come together to fend off anyone who does not show love for humanity or hope in our people regardless of their colour or creed and does not demonstrate respect for the rule of law.

I call on all people of goodwill today to put aside our partisan differences and understand that for democracy and liberty to continue to thrive, we must all stand together against deceit, indecency, and immoral ambition and for the rule of law, freedom for all, tolerance, and decency.

Join me on Twitter @anthonykila to share your thoughts, ask questions, and continue these engaging conversations.

Anthony Kila is a Professor of Strategy and Development and a Director at the Commonwealth Institute of Advanced and Professional Studies.

Former world number one Naomi Osaka navigated a tricky first round match against France’s Diane Parry at Wimbledon yesterday and eventually won 6-1 1-6 6-4 with the help of some nervous serving from her opponent.

The 26-year-old Japanese, who entered the draw as a wildcard, looked to be in total command in the first set, her hefty groundstrokes hitting the lines and her big serve forcing Parry on to the back foot.

But Osaka, who returned to the tour this year after 15 months of maternity leave for her daughter who turns one on Tuesday, appeared to lose concentration and rhythm in the second set and 21-year-old Parry, ranked 53, took advantage.

“I wish I could say I enjoyed (the match) all the time,” Osaka, who has won both the U.S. and Australian Opens twice, said in an interview on court. “My heart was racing.”

The match see-sawed into the third set with the players trading breaks at the start.
Osaka, who was playing at Wimbledon for the first time for five years, saved break points in a difficult ninth game to lead 5-4 before Parry’s serve crumbled and she produced three double faults to concede the match.

“I feel like these are the type of matches that you kind of have to play just in order to ease into the tournament,” Osaka said after thanking the crowd for getting behind her.
Meanwhile, Emma Raducanu snapped a dispiriting sequence of first-round defeats for British players at Grand Slams as the wildcard beat Mexico’s Renata Zarazua 7-6(0) 6-3 on Centre Court on Monday.

The 21-year-old got an unexpected boost when Russian 22nd seed Ekaterina Alexandrova, her scheduled opponent, withdrew because of illness on the morning of the match with Zarazua, a loser in qualifying, taking her place.

With former England soccer captain David Beckham watching on from the Royal Box, Raducanu looked nervous early on against an unorthodox opponent but eventually contained the unforced errors that littered the first set to move into round two.

It was a welcome win for the former U.S. Open champion who missed last year’s Wimbledon because of injury and who has struggled to reach the dizzy heights of her fairytale victory at Flushing Meadows in 2021.

[Leadership]

The Minister of Education, Prof Tahir Mamman, has said that the federal government alone cannot finance education in Nigeria.

He said this at an event in Abuja organised in honour of Dr Emeka Offor and his wife, Dr Adaora Offor who were awarded honourary degrees in business administration and social advocacy respectively by the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) and the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU), Awka.

The minister said though the government had spent so much in funding education, private individuals and philanthropists needed to emulate what Mr Offor and his wife had done through their foundation to support education.

He said, “The ministry is encouraged with this kind of recognition because the government cannot finance education alone; just as it has contributed a lot.

“That is why people like Emeka Offor and wife have stepped in, and what they are doing should be encouraged by others. I believe this is an excellent example of well-used resources, and I urge others to take a cue from what they have done.”

While UNN received N100m for research activities and scholarly enterprise that will impact the Faculty of Business Administration, NAU received N50m for the welfare of widows, children with special needs and other vulnerable members of the society.

The celebrant and donor, Chief Offor, said the endowment fund would be a restricted one, where the principal sum would be held in perpetuity except otherwise decided by the Sir Emeka Offor Foundation (SEOF) and the universities.

He said, “This gesture is our desire towards supporting higher education in Nigeria and strengthening the bond of friendship between SEOF and UNN/NAU.”

[DailyTrust]

The United States crashed out of the Copa America on Monday after a 1-0 defeat to Uruguay, as Panama sealed their place in the quarter-finals with a 3-1 win over Bolivia.

The tournament hosts suffered an upset 2-1 defeat to Panama last week and went into Monday’s final Group C game at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City needing to match or better Panama’s result against Bolivia to advance.

But US coach Gregg Berhalter’s side never looked like doing enough to seriously threaten a well-drilled Uruguay who advance to the last eight as group winners.

“Just looking at the faces of the staff and the players, we’re bitterly disappointed with the results,” Berhalter said.

“We know that we’re capable of more and in this tournament we didn’t show it. It’s really as simple as that. We should have done better.

“We’ll do a review and figure out what went wrong, why it went wrong, but it’s an empty feeling right now for sure.”

USA captain Christian Pulisic blamed a lack of attacking quality.

“We had a good start and brought a lot of energy, but just didn’t have enough quality,” he said. “We just couldn’t find a solution.”

Hopes of a great escape for Berhalter’s men faded inside the first 30 minutes as news filtered through that Panama had taken a 1-0 lead against Bolivia in Orlando.

US hopes were revived early in the second half after Bolivia equalised, leaving the hosts on course for qualification, provided they continued to hold Uruguay.

Yet the US optimism was punctured just moments later when Uruguay took the lead in controversial circumstances through Mathias Olivera on 66 minutes.

– ‘Pretty crazy’ –

Ronald Araujo’s powerful header from Nicolas de la Cruz’s free-kick was parried away by US goalkeeper Matt Turner, but only into the path of Olivera, who tucked away the rebound.

Replays appeared to show that Olivera was offside when Araujo first made contact with the ball, but despite a lengthy VAR review, Peruvian referee Kevin Ortega ruled that the goal should stand.

“It’s pretty crazy,” Berhalter said. “I don’t understand it, I feel like I know the offside rule pretty well.

“It’s disappointing. It really is. But you know that that happens in football, and we have to live with it.”

The mathematics of qualification looked even more bleak for the US after news that Panama had scored again through Eduardo Guerrero to regain the lead at 2-1, and the final nail in the coffin came when Cesar Yanis added a third for Panama in stoppage time.

The USA’s first-round exit raises fresh questions about the future of Berhalter, who remains deeply unpopular amongst swathes of American fans.

Berhalter was only reappointed to the US job in June last year following a hiatus after leading the team to the 2022 World Cup.

The nature of Monday’s early exit is certain to reignite debate about whether he is the best man to lead the United States into the 2026 World Cup on home soil.

Failure to defeat Uruguay, 14th in the latest FIFA rankings, extends Berhalter’s poor record against top 20 teams.

Berhalter has just five wins in 20 matches against top-20 teams during his reign, and four of those victories came against regional rivals Mexico — who were also eliminated from the Copa in the first round.

That dismal sequence continued after a toothless attacking performance against Uruguay, where the US registered only three shots on goal in a misfiring offensive display.

Defender Antonee Robinson described the officiating as “amateur hour” but stressed responsibility for the defeat lay with the players.

“Just not enough quality in the final third,” Robinson said.

“At the end of the day we weren’t good enough to get the result today. This is on us.”

AFP

Gentlemen of the Press,

1. Good day and welcome to this important press conference at the Nigeria Customs Service Port Harcourt Area II Command, Onne. Today, we gather to inform you about the recent significant developments in our operations to secure our nation's borders and ensure public safety.
2. Gentlemen of the Press, you may recall that at a press briefing of this nature held recently at the Tin Can Island Port Lagos, I had disclosed attempts by criminal elements seeking to exploit our trade facilitation friendly posture to compromise our processes and procedures. With our robust Risk Management System, we have always remained a step ahead of their moves. When these attempts revolve around revenue generation, our automated audit systems at different level enable us to trace, track and recover the revenue. However, when efforts are geared towards creating actions that will produce irreversible consequences on national security, our alert level is elevated to match the threats posed to us.
3. And so it was the case with this 1X40 foot container MAEU165396, which originated from Turkey, and based on a number of risk factors, became a subject of interest. We had followed its sail across the Continents, as we benefitted immensely from credible information produced through our collaboration with the intelligence communities, both at the local, national and international levels.
4. Working within our local structures, we followed diligently as the Importer attempted to circumvent our procedure through the outlet of a Private Bonded Terminal.  Consequently, on Friday, 21 June 2024, the suspicious container was subjected to thorough physical examination. The examination result revealed the following alarming contents:
   1. Eight Hundred and Forty-Four (844) units of rifles
   2. One Hundred and Twelve Thousand, Five Hundred (112,500) pieces of live ammunition

The breakdown is as follows:

1. 764 units of Tomahawk Jojef Magnum Black Pump Action Rifles
2. 10 units of VC Verney Caron Gunmakers Jojef Magnum Silver Pump Action Rifles

• 50 units of VC Verney Caron Gunmaker Double Barrel Rifles

1. 20 units of VC Verney Caron Gunmaker Single Barrel Rifles
2. Exclusive Series, Sterling High-Quality Live Ammunition 34g - 25 Plastic Shotgun Shells (70MM)
3. The rifles and ammunition were concealed using various items such as doors, furniture, plumbing fittings, and leather bags. The duty-paid value of the container is Four Billion, One Hundred and Seventy-One Million, Seven Hundred and Ten Thousand Naira (₦4,171,710,000.00).
4. In connection with this, we have three suspects in our custody after securing a detention warrant from a competent court of justice. Furthermore, a thorough investigation is ongoing to ensure all those involved face the full wrath of the law.
5. In another development, our officers, through synergy, collaboration, and intelligence sharing, on Saturday, 29 June 2024, intercepted yet another 8x40-foot container transit to a bonded warehouse from Onne Port. The container numbers are TCKU6879285, CMAU5985012, CMAU7515384, CMAU4297020, SEKU5488437, BMOU4363156, MRKU4616024, and MRSU3068928. Upon examination, they were found to contain the following:
   Six containers laden with:
   1. 1,050,000 bottles of CSC Cough Syrup with Codeine (100ml)
   2. 3,500,000 tablets of Trodol Benzhexol Tablets (5mg)

• Duty-paid value: Nine Billion, Six Hundred Million Naira

          (₦9,600,000,000.00)

Two containers laden with:

1. 720 bales of used clothes
2. With Duty-paid value: ₦144,000,000.00

The total duty-paid value of the nine displayed containers is Thirteen Billion, Nine Hundred and Fifteen Million, Seven Hundred and Ten Thousand Naira (₦13,915,710,000.00).

8. In line with the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, the following decisions have been taken with respect to these containers:
9. The 40-footer container of evil, bearing 844 units of assorted Rifles and 112,500 pieces of live ammunition is hereby seized, alongside the other contents previously highlighted.
10. The items would be handed over to the Coordinator of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, under the office of the National Security Adviser for diligent investigation, and ultimately rigorous prosecution.

• The suspects arrested would be handed over to the Centre for further processing. We will work diligently with other Agencies of Government to apprehend all other cohorts and Death Merchants involved in this monkey business.

1. The Eight Containers whose contents were wrongly declared to evade duty payment and Prohibition Order are hereby declared seized.
2. The Licences and Permits issued for the operation of all the Warehouses and Terminals as well as those of their Customs Agents involved in these cases are hereby suspended pending the determination of their involvement.
3. Customs Officers who are found complicit in the perpetration of  these nefarious act would be heavily sanctioned in a manner that would be approved by the Board of the Nigeria Customs Service.

• Officers who kept faith with the Oath of allegiance to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and refused to be bribed into releasing these containers will be adequately rewarded in a manner provided by the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.

9. As I conclude, let me warmly commend the professional commitment of the Customs Area Comptroller Onne Port, Mohammed Babandede and through him his Officers and Men, for the meticulous approach deployed to this operation. I also acknowledge our various partners, local and international who provided us the much needed information to successfully prosecute this operation.
10. Finally, this seizure serves as a strong warning to others who may be contemplating similar misadventures, my message to them is simple; we will run you out of business.   The Nigeria Customs Service, under my leadership, will not tolerate any action that compromises the economy and security of our beloved nation.

Thank you for your attention and cooperation.

A far-right, anti-immigration party is in reach of becoming the biggest political force in France after the first of two rounds of voting in parliamentary elections drew a historically high turnout. The first-round results in the French election are the latest evidence of surging support for the far-right in Europe, but the real test of that trend nationally will come when France opens the polls for the second, decisive round of voting in one week.

French President Emmanuel Macron took a huge gamble by calling the snap election this year, and he's now issued a battle cry urging the nation's voters to come out in force on July 7 to stop the far-right, which made its best showing ever in round one, from rising to the very top of government in round two.

Turnout was unusually high as many voters said they either wanted to block the far-right, or just get rid of Macron's government.

Far-right leader Marine Le Pen said her National Rally party had "virtually wiped out" Macron's centrist power base in the first-round Sunday vote. National Rally took a third of the votes in that round.

Macron called these elections hoping to rally voters against the far-right, after parties like Le Pen's fared well in Europe-wide elections for the European parliament, which governs the European Union, in the spring.

"President Macron made a colossal error in judgment," political analyst Douglas Webber told CBS News. Webber said the first round results show Macron could be forced to share power with National Rally — a party that is anti-immigration, wants to roll back the power of the European Union, and has even threatened to pull France out of the U.S.-led NATO military alliance.

If the National Rally wins enough votes in the second round, party president Jordan Bardella could find himself in the country's second-top job, as prime minister. He wants to pull back on France's support for Ukraine in the face of Russia's ongoing invasion.

"That would be a very good result for Vladimir Putin, a very bad result for Ukraine and President Zelenskyy," said Webber.

That outcome is not a foregone conclusion. The French have a history of voting more ideologically in the first round — "with their hearts," as the saying goes — but then more tactically, "with their heads," in the second round.

Macron and the thousands of left-wing supporters who gathered in central Paris on Sunday to voice their concern at the far-right's performance will be hoping that's the case, and that the actual gains in parliamentary seats won't mirror the windfall seen for Le Pen and Bardella's party in round-one.

"Right now, we have big problems with the right wing," said one young woman before the results came in. "We want more democracy, you know, we don't want people to feel afraid or scared about living in France."

But the political winds across much of the continent have been blowing decidedly to the right for more than a year. Should the far-right parties win big in France on July 7, Webber warned it could leave a power "vacuum at the heart of Europe," which has been dominated for years by the influence of its two biggest economies, France and Germany.

"No one, or no other group of countries, could conceivably fill the role that's historically been played by France and Germany," he said. "That's, of course, the main reason why so many people, observers, are extremely worried."

Among the worried Europeans voicing their angst on Monday was Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who said the first-round results in France indicated a "very dangerous" political turn.

"This is all really starting to smell very dangerous," said Tusk, who suggested without offering specific evidence that "Russian influence" was behind the rise of "many parties of the radical right in Europe."

"Even the complete victory of the radical right of Ms. Le Pen's camp does not signal the loss of power by the center represented by President Macron," Tusk told reporters. "But it is a very clear sign of what is happening not only in France, but also in some other countries, also in Western Europe."

Tusk said France "will be forced to confront these radical forces," and he warned that, "foreign forces and enemies of Europe are engaged in this process, hiding behind these movements."

Macron has called on voters from across the political spectrum to block the far-right's precipitous rise with their votes in the final round on Sunday.

[CBS]

The United Kingdom will hold its first national election in almost five years on Thursday, with opinion polls suggesting that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Conservative Party will be punished for failing to deliver on promises made during 14 years in power.

The center-right Conservatives took power during the depths of the global financial crisis and have won three more elections since then. But those years have been marked by a sluggish economy, declining public services and a series of scandals, making the Tories, as they are commonly known, easy targets for critics on the left and right.

The Labour Party, which leans to the left, is far ahead in most opinion polls after focusing its campaign on a single word: Change.

But the Tories face other challenges as well. The new Reform Party is siphoning off votes from the rightwing of the Conservatives after criticizing the Tory leadership for failing to control immigration.

How will the election work?

People throughout the United Kingdom will elect all 650 members of the House of Commons, one for each local constituency. There are no primaries or run-offs, just a single round of voting on July 4.

Britain uses a “first past the post” system of voting, which means that the candidate that finishes top in each constituency will be elected, even if they don’t get 50% of the vote. This has generally cemented the dominance of the two largest parties, Conservatives and Labour, because it is difficult for smaller parties to win seats unless they have concentrated support in particular areas.

How is the prime minister chosen?

The party that commands a majority in the Commons, either alone or with the support of another party, will form the next government and its leader will be prime minister.

That means the results will determine the political direction of the government, which has been led by the center-right Conservatives for the past 14 years. The center-left Labour Party is widely seen to be in the strongest position.

Who is running?

Sunak, a former Treasury chief who has been prime minister since October 2022, is leading his party into the election. His primary opponent is Keir Starmer, a former director of public prosecutions in England and leader of the Labour Party since April 2020.

But other parties, some of which have strong regional support, could be crucial to forming a coalition government if no one wins an overall majority.

The Scottish National Party, which campaigns for Scottish independence, the Liberal Democrats, and the Democratic Unionist Party, which seeks to maintain ties between Britain and Northern Ireland, are currently the three largest parties in Parliament after the Conservatives and Labour. Many observers suggest the new Reform Party, fronted by Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage, may siphon votes from the Conservatives.

Why are the Conservatives under pressure?

The Conservatives have faced one challenge after another since they took power in 2010. First there was the fallout from the global financial crisis, which swelled Britain’s debt and caused the Tories to impose years of austerity to balance the budget. They then led Britain out of the European Union, battled one of the deadliest COVID-19 outbreaks in western Europe, and saw inflation soar after Russia invaded Ukraine.

Regardless of the circumstances, many voters blame the Conservatives for the litany of problems facing Britain, from sewage spills and unreliable train service to the cost-of-living crisis, crime and the influx of migrants crossing the English Channel on inflatable boats.

On top of that, the party has been tarred by the repeated ethical lapses of government ministers, including lockdown-busting parties in government offices. The scandals chased former Prime Minister Boris Johnson from office and ultimately from Parliament after he was found to have lied to lawmakers. His successor, Liz Truss, lasted just 45 days after her economic policies cratered the economy.

What are the big issues?

The economy: Britain has struggled with high inflation and slow economic growth, which have combined to make most people feel poorer. The Conservatives succeeded in controlling inflation, which slowed to 2% in the year through May after peaking at 11.1% in October 2022, but growth remains sluggish, raising questions about the government’s economic policies.

Immigration: Thousands of asylum seekers and economic migrants have crossed the English Channel in flimsy inflatable boats in recent years, triggering criticism that the government has lost control of Britain’s borders. The Conservatives’ signature policy for stopping the boats is a plan to deport some of these migrants to Rwanda. Critics say the plan violates international law, is inhumane, and will do nothing to stop people fleeing war, unrest and famine.

Health care: Britain’s National Health Service, which provides free health care to everyone, is plagued with long waiting lists for everything from dental care to cancer treatment. Newspapers are filled with stories about seriously ill patients forced to wait hours for an ambulance, then longer still for a hospital bed.

The environment: Sunak has backtracked on a series of environmental commitments, pushing back the deadline for ending the sale of gasoline- and diesel-powered passenger vehicles and authorizing new oil drilling in the North Sea. Critics say these are the wrong policies at a time the world is trying to combat climate change.

Why is the election being held now?

Sunak surprised pundits and most of his own lawmakers six weeks ago when he set the election for July 4, at least three months earlier than expected.

While most observers thought the vote would take place in the fall, Sunak gambled on a summer election, hoping that positive economic news would help him persuade voters that Conservative policies were beginning to work.

The decision was so startling that it landed the Tories in hot water. Allegations have emerged that party members and police officers assigned to protect government officials had placed wagers on a summer election, suggesting they had inside information and damaging Sunak’s ability to claim that his party is more trustworthy than Labour.

Commentators had been speculating about the timing of the election for months because the parliamentary term was scheduled to end in mid-December. While each parliament is elected for up to five years, the prime minister can call an election whenever it is most advantageous politically.

[AP]

Religious leaders in Siaya want the government to engage an international mediator in solving the current impasse that saw young Kenyans take to the streets to protest the passage of the finance bill.

Through the Siaya Church Leaders’ Forum (SCLF), the clerics say that the situation may get out of hand if urgent steps will not be taken to address it, adding that government will only succeed if an independent international mediator is brought on board to engage the youths.

Led by the chairman of the church leaders’ forum, Archbishop James Opiyo Anyango, the clerics lauded the efforts that the government was putting in place to ensure that the youths are engaged and their demands taken into account.

The forum organizing secretary, Bishop Wilfred Amollo said Kenyan youths seem to have lost hope and trust in the current government and may not feel comfortable engaging President William Ruto.

The church leaders lauded the Kenyan youths for standing firm in exercising their rights, but called on them to embrace peace and avoid destruction of properties during their anti-government protests.

Other leaders who addressed the media during the occasion were Bishop Elias Sewe and Bishop Martin Arara who called on the government to minimize wastage of public resources to quell the Gen Z protests.

[https://www.capitalfm.co.ke/]

According to Shettima, 42 persons were brought to the specialist hospital, but 14 have been discharged after receiving treatment.

The Vice President noted that 26 are still receiving treatment.

Shettima, who made a personal donation to all the victims, condoled with the families of those killed by the multiple explosions.

He also conveyed the condolences of President Bola Tinubu to Gwoza people and Borno State.

The Vice President was in the company of the Deputy Governor of Borno State, Babagana Kingibe, Senator Ali Ndume, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, former Nigerian Ambassador to China, Baba Ahmed Jidda, the Director General of NEMA and other government functionaries.

Meanwhile, President Tinubu has described criminals responsible for the suicide bombing in Borno State as cowards who would soon face the wrath of justice.

The President said the action of the terrorists is due to the pressure mounted against them by security forces which have degraded their abilities to mount attacks.

While consoling all those affected by the attack, President Tinubu assured Nigerians that the government would not allow the nation to slither into an era of fear, tears, sorrow, and blood.

He added that his administration would take every necessary step to ensure citizens are protected, and criminals are brought to justice.

[NaijaNews]