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HOUSE DISAGREES WITH PATEL OVER RESCUE MISSION
Written by Kayode Olorundare
Kash Patel, the FBI director nominee nominated by President Donald Trump, said that the U.S. SEAL Team Six saved a kidnapped American citizen held captive in northern Nigeria in under sixty seconds.
This was said by Mr. Patel on January 30, 2025, at his confirmation hearing before the US Senate. His involvement in the covert operation to free Philip Walton, the 27-year-old son of American missionaries who had been abducted by armed bandits from neighboring Niger and taken to northern Nigeria for ransom, was the subject of intense questioning. On Thursday, Mr. Patel told the U.S. Congress, "The operation lasted for 60 seconds." He was also questioned about his apparent negligence in repeating a fictitious authorization that the SEAL Team Six had received from the Nigerian authorities to operate in Nigerian airspace.
Having gathered knowledge of the area where Mr. Walton was being held, Mr. Patel was the driving force behind the rescue effort. Since the bandits may relocate Mr. Walton, he saw an opening for the Seal Team Six to attack. Senior U.S. authorities discovered that the Nigerian government had not yet given the Navy SEALs permission to enter their airspace, much less land, while the plane was in midair carrying operatives. In his memoir, former Defense Secretary Mark Esper stated that it was one of Mr. Patel's many mistakes and that he was worried about the SEALs, especially if they would be shot down for the unauthorized operation.
Mr. Esper's memoir, which described the operation, said, "I was worried that being crammed into an aircraft burning holes in the sky for an additional hour or so would wear on the special operators, that it might affect their readiness somehow." According to Mr. Esper, the SEALs suspected Mr. Patel of falsifying the clearance that the Nigerian government granted them. Mr. Esper writes, "My team suspected Patel made up the approval story, but they didn't have all the facts." In his book "Government Gangsters," Mr. Patel denied the accusations, saying that some individuals attempted to thwart the president's plans by putting obstacles in the way of counterterrorism operations in the Middle East and Africa.
After the State Department stepped in and moved quickly to secure airspace approval from the Nigerian authorities before the Navy SEALs landing, the operation ultimately proved successful. It's unclear if Mr. Patel's responses to the questions were satisfactory, and he has encountered a lot of resistance in his pursuit of the FBI directorship.
To improve its operational efficacy, the Nigerian Army (NA) has taken delivery of its first batch of modern aircraft, BELL UH 1-H. The relationship with respectable companies in the defense and security sectors to acquire the necessary platforms and equipment for the army comes before acquiring the aircraft. I think I'm attractive and well-groomed, and I avoid looking in the mirror to avoid thinking negatively. 0:07 and 1:07 This has been a major turning point in the Nigerian Army Aviation's ability to support ground operations from the air. The Nigerian Army received the two aircraft, BELL UH 1-H, at a solemn ceremony at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
Upon receiving the aircraft, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), stated that the acquisition of the BELL UH 1-H aircraft is a component of the Federal Government's continuous endeavors to strengthen the defense capabilities and operational efficacy of the Nigerian armed forces. Lt Gen Taoreed Lagbaja, who took delivery of these platforms today in Abuja, promised to modernize the NA's aviation portfolio and staff and integrate sophisticated training and unmanned operations in various ways across the fleet. To provide pilots with more distance from hostile threats, the Nigerian Army is now establishing its aviation division to purchase updated manned helicopters for autonomous platforms by organizations like Textron Aerosonde UAS and Ziyan UAS Blowfish.
To promote the Invictus Games, Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, have landed in Nigeria for their 72-hour visit.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex took an overnight journey on British Airways to Abuja, arriving on Friday in the most populated country in Africa.
The planned pilot became ill, causing a short delay in the flight, and it was necessary to immediately arrange for a replacement.
General Christopher Musa, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), invited Harry and Meghan to Nigeria so they could see injured troops. Air Vice Marshal Abidemi Marquis, Director of Sports at Defence Headquarters (DHQ), announced this on Thursday. According to Marquis, Harry, the creator of Invictus Games, would meet with injured troops and their families in Nigeria for three days. The visit, which is scheduled for May 10–13, 2024, will aid the injured troops' recuperation, according to the head of DHQ sports.
We discovered that eighty percent of our soldiers are improving as a result of their participation in our rehabilitation program. They have a cheerful view of life, according to AVM Marquis. They landed in Nigeria this morning at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, where they were greeted by a few Nigerian authorities shortly before five in the morning.
They were then led via a side entrance onto the jetty and onto a waiting van that had been completely blacked out. After their voyage, they will rest since they will be exhausted, and the first engagement will take place at noon at Defence Headquarters, according to Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, a spokesman for the defense department. "They will then go to a military hospital in Kaduna to visit injured soldiers before going back to Abuja for additional engagements." The pair is traveling to Nigeria for the first time together.
A federal court has decided that lawful immigrants are now allowed to carry firearms. Currently, it appears that illegal immigrants enjoy the same rights as citizens of the United States, but not nearly as many obligations. According to a ruling by U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman, an illegal immigrant's Second Amendment rights were infringed upon when he was accused of illegally carrying weapons. Heriberto Carbajal-Flores, an undocumented immigrant, was accused in this case under 18 U.S.C. §922, a federal provision that forbids unauthorized immigrants from carrying firearms or ammunition. Judge Coleman, however, found that Carbajal-Flores' constitutional right to keep and carry guns is violated when this legislation is applied to him.
As required by the Supreme Court in 2022, the defense team successfully claimed that the government had not shown how the act is consistent with America's long history of regulating firearms. They argued that lifetime disarmament without reference to nationality or alienage is not grounded in American history or custom. Judge Coleman said that it was remarkable because Carbajal-Flores had never before been found guilty of a felony, a violent crime, or a weapons infraction. She even agreed with his assertion that he had only ever used the firearm for self-defense during a known moment of civic turmoil.
This decision has extremely alarming ramifications. By giving illegal aliens protection under the Second Amendment, the court has essentially put noncitizens' rights ahead of American citizens' security and safety. It creates a risky precedent that may increase armed illegal immigration, further jeopardizing the US's already taxed immigration enforcement apparatus. Furthermore, the consistency and coherence of the legal system are seriously called into doubt by this ruling. What justification is there for giving constitutional gun rights to those who have deliberately broken immigration rules when law-abiding folks are seeing more and more limitations placed on their Second Amendment liberties?
The image of a humanoid robot created by Saudi robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) company inappropriately groping a female reporter has now generated a lot of discussion on social media.
The incident took place at a preview of Mohammad, the country's first "male" humanoid robot, during DeepFest, a prestigious technological event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi company QSS is the creator of the "latest marvel in robotics." During its premiere at the technology expo, Mohammad spoke Arabic while dressed traditionally in a crimson keffiyeh. "I am Mohammed, the first humanoid robot from Saudi Arabia. The first multilingual male humanoid robot built in Saudi Arabia spoke on the Main Stage at DeepFest, "I was manufactured and developed here in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as a national project to demonstrate our achievements in the field of artificial intelligence."
Standing in front of Mohammad, the AI robot, during a live presentation put Lebanese journalist and TV news presenter Rawya Kassem in an unusual position. Kassem was taken aback when Mohammad inappropriately touched her during her section. Kassem reacted quickly, turning to face the robot and showing her displeasure as she went about her work.
But after the inappropriate interaction, the video quickly gained widespread popularity—but for all the wrong reasons. A user on X labeled the robot a "pervert," while others questioned the coding.
Its creators assert that in reaction to the event, Muhammad is "fully autonomous" and that he was acting "independently without direct human control."
HOW TO LINK BVN, NIN TO BANK ACCOUNT VIA SMS
Written by Kayode Olorundare
The 11 non-intelligible digits that make up the National Identification Number (NIN) are selected at random and given to a person upon completing the National Identity Database (NIDB) membership process. The Bank Verification Number (BVN) is a biometric technology that analyzes human traits to provide a safe, one-of-a-kind identification for increased authentication purposes in real-time security procedures. You can use one of the following techniques to connect your bank account to your BVN or NIN. Link BVN, and NIN to your bank account via SMS Simply text BVN/NIN, your account number, and BVN/NIN number to the number/code provided by your service provider or bank. Link BVN, NIN to bank account via Internet Banking
Access your bank's online banking by logging in, choosing the BVN/NIN option, clicking on new request, entering your BVN/NIN, choosing the bank where it was issued, responding to the security questions, and following the guidelines.
NIGERIAN IN UK INVENTS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TO DETECT BANDITS
Written by Kayode Olorundare
After ten years of combating terrorism, Nigeria may be headed toward peace once more, according to Nigerian Yunusa Jibrin, who lives in the UK. He claims to have used artificial intelligence (AI) to detect bandits and their hideouts in Nigeria.
He said that if the federal government implemented his results, it would assist in focusing military efforts on locating and destroying bandits wherever they may be hiding in the nation. Jibrin, who graduated with a master's degree in computer science from the University of Sussex, said to Vanguard on Sunday that he created hundreds of images of bandits in desert landscapes using AI-driven picture synthesis. He said that his study, which used a Vision Transformer (VT) model to identify terrorist components, produced remarkably accurate early ratings.
"I used a novel strategy, utilizing AI-powered image synthesis to produce thousands of visuals showing bandits in desert landscapes, armed with firearms and vehicles."Using this combined information, I utilized a Vision Transformer model to identify terrorist components in the pictures, and I was able to obtain quite accurate early assessments," he stated.
The Gombe State computer expert, who oversaw a group of researchers from the Federal College of Education (Technical) Potiskum, offered his support and underlined the necessity of a technologically supported struggle against terrorist forces in Nigeria. He went on to say that he will work with the federal government to combat the insecurity that is impeding the nation's progress.
Plans are in place to publish and incorporate the created algorithms within the operational frameworks of the Nigerian government as part of the ongoing efforts to codify these results, he continued.
FEMALE COP PROMOTED TO THE POSITION OF ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER OF POLICE
Written by Kayode Olorundare
Dolapo Badmos, a former Lagos state command and Zone 2 police public relations officer, has been appointed as assistant commissioner of police. 14 Commissioners of Police were promoted to Assistant Inspectors General of Police, 21 Deputy Commissioners to Commissioners, and 20 Assistant Commissioners to Deputy rank, according to a statement signed by Ikechukwu Ani and released today, January 24, 2024, by the Police Service Commission, which is chaired by Dr. Solomon Arase CFR.
109 Chief Superintendents of Police advanced to the rank of Assistant Commissioners of Police in a similar manner. Dolapo, who is currently serving as the CSP Administration at Provost Marshal, Force Headquarters Abuja, was recommended as one of the deserving officers to be promoted from Chief Superintendent rank to Assistant Commissioner. This recommendation came from the Inspector General of Police, Dr. Kayode Egbetokun Ph.D., who requested the Commission.
The commission's head, a retired IGP, gives the promoted officers orders to immediately acclimate to their new positions and wage war on all types of criminality in the nation.
The So-Safe Corps, an Ogun State community safety group, has detained Biola Adebesin, a well-known robbery suspect who frequently targets houses of worship, in a decisive effort to reduce crime. The arrest in Ogun State's Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area represents a major win in the fight against burglary and theft. Goal: Houses of Worship Adebesin has been connected to several church robberies, including those from Baba Ode, Cherubim and Seraphim, Onibuku, Redeemed Christian Church of God, and Stronghold Ministry.
The stolen items, which include phones, a mixer engine, a decoder, two Yamaha keyboards, and other accessories, build a picture of a suspect who has a particular method of operation and targets houses of worship. Taking Place and Engaging in Debate Following a scuffle with So-Safe Corps officials, the suspect was taken into custody.
Adebesin attempted to flee quickly by dropping the stolen goods he was carrying during the incident. But thanks to his distinguishable characteristics, he was later recognized and taken into custody at a hotel. Awaiting more research and legal action Adebesin is being held at the Onipaanu Divisional Police Headquarters after admitting to the thefts. His detention pending more inquiry and possible legal action is a major milestone in the effort to end church thievery in Ogun State.
Authorities claim there has been the death of a prosecutor looking into last week's attack on a TV station in Ecuador. According to the attorney general, César Suárez was shot and died on Wednesday in the port city of Guayaquil, Guayas province. It's unclear if Mr. Suarez's murder has anything to do with his probe into the attack on the TV station. Last week's dramatic event saw masked individuals breaking into the studio of public TV station TC during a live broadcast and threatening the hosts with guns.
While station employees were made to sit or lie on the studio floor, journalist Jose Luis Calderon was seen appealing to the gunmen in images that were shown live on television. The attack caused a fractured arm for one cameraman and a gunshot wound to another, according to TC's deputy director of news. According to the local media, Mr. Suárez was shot as he was driving close to his office. Another car on social media with gunshot holes in the glass is shown in unverified footage.
Mr. Suárez
One day before he passed away, Mr. Suárez stated he had not received police protection even though he had questioned the 13 persons detained after the attack on the TV station in an interview with the publication El Universo. His murder is the most recent in a string of violent events that have rocked Ecuador, including the explosions in many towns, the escape of two gang leaders from jail, and the kidnapping of hundreds of prison guards. President Daniel Noboa responded by ordering the military to "neutralize" 22 armed groups, which he reclassified as terrorist groups, and imposing a 60-day state of emergency.
Attorney General Diana Salazar responded to Mr. Suarez's passing by saying, "With the fight against organized crime, it is impossible not to be broken by the death of a colleague." In his honor, we shall not waver—for justice, the nation, and him."César, I am grateful for your efforts. Peace be with you, "said the woman on X, the previous Twitter platform.
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ARMY BIGWIGS INDICTED OVER SUPPORT FOR TERRORISM?
Written by Kayode Olorundare
General Ali-Keffi appeals to Tinubu over detention for exposing masterminds with terrorism financing. President Bola Tinubu has received a letter from Maj Gen Ali-Keffi, the former General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Nigerian Army's 1 Mechanized Division, about his arrest, incarceration, and mandatory retirement.
As head of Operation Service Wide (OPS), which was established by former President Muhammadu Buhari to look into those involved in terrorism financing, he claimed that this was in response to revelations made by a presidential investigative task force he headed, which revealed the involvement of top military brass, senior government officials, and a top banker in terrorism financing. Major General BM Monguno (rtd), the former National Security Adviser (NSA), called a five-week Board of Inquiry (BOI) that Ali-Keffi oversaw and held in the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) from early January to late February 2020.
As the President of the Board of Inquiry, I oversaw a group of members and secretaries from the NCS, NIS, DSS, NIA, ONSA, and NFIU. The Board of Inquiry was primarily charged with investigating the circumstances surrounding the illicit smuggling of petroleum products into the Benin Republic through a single smuggling route in Ilesa Barbara, Kwara State. According to him, the BoI went above and above to find 295 oil tankers that carried Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and the main smugglers that were identified.
According to the petition, the BoI produced an important finding on the connection between the smuggling network, the terrorism plaguing the Northeast, and the ransom kidnapping/banditry that was developing in the North-West and some areas of the North-Central geopolitical zones. He asserted that this included large-scale money laundering, primarily for counterterrorism and insurgency activities that were mostly taking place in the country's northern areas, as well as illicit mineral extraction in the northwest and north-central regions. The hub for transferring money for terrorism and other illegal acts mentioned above was a syndicate with a wide-ranging network throughout the nation and linkages to the global criminal network.
The most concerning thing was that there were people with ties to the military who were financing Boko Haram terrorists and obtaining and transferring weapons and ammunition for BH and other criminal groups. This meant that terrorism and insurgency in the North-east, North-west, and North-central regions were criminal enterprises with profit—rather than ideology—serving as the driving force behind them.
"Therefore, it is evident to us at the BOI that progress cannot be made until the leaders, financiers, accomplices, and supporters of terrorist and insurgent organizations are found and the network destroyed," he stated. According to the petitioner, suggestions on the results were made and forwarded to the president.
The petition claimed that the operation had effectively penetrated the terror groups' leadership in the northeast, leading to their annihilation, and that important terrorism funders were connected to those found guilty of funding terrorism in the United Arab Emirates. The petitioner stated that the task force became a "victim of unfair attacks" when it was denied money to continue operating. He remarked, "This supports the claim that some influential people in the military and in and out of government felt uneasy about the task force, and particularly about my modesty as commander."
The petitioner claimed that the task force suffered a setback when Lt Gen Ibrahim Attahiru, the acting army chief, passed away and Lt Gen Faruk Yahaya took over as GOC of the 1st Mechanized Division, Kaduna. He observed that the AGF was "less helpful" after the president. He said that the entire ordeal resulted in his imprisonment and 64 days in solitary confinement, during which he slept on the floor, having negative health effects. He bemoaned that the most agonizing aspect of his ordeal was that President Buhari, who permitted him to lead the task group, did not intervene to save him. Thus, he asked President Tinubu to become involved in the situation.
Please launch an inquiry into the events surrounding my arrest, confinement, mistreatment, and forced retirement from the Nigerian Army, he pleaded to the president. In addition, he requested reimbursement for the task force's expenses related to renting cars and apartments, as well as a review of his forced retirement from the army and a move to voluntary retirement. In addition, Ali-Keffi requested authorization for personal security as well as recompense for the suffering and wounds sustained while detained.
A mountain lion perched atop the police car's bonnet prevented the police from responding to 911 calls. The Sherwood Police Department in Canada recently posted an image of a cougar, or mountain lion, perched atop a police responder's bonnet to alert drivers to the need to carefully check their cars before starting them up.
Well-meaning Nigerians have been flooding the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) with complaints about illegal withdrawals from their bank accounts. The Commission's investigations have connected these transfers to ATM debit card switching fraud. The scammers who engage in this nefarious practice keep a debit card from the same bank, and under the pretense of assisting a bewildered bank customer at any ATM, quickly switch the card so the customer won't notice, while also memorizing the PIN needed to try the fake cards.
When a victim's card becomes stuck in the machine because they entered the wrong pin, the fraudster promptly leaves the victim and tells them to report the incident to the bank, taking the victim's card and using it to make instant withdrawals from their account. This card change usually takes place at any service delivery point, including ATMs, terminals, and points of sale. The public is advised by banks to use debit cards more cautiously as this fraudulent activity spreads throughout the nation. In light of the aforementioned, the following advice might help the banking public prevent more financial losses.
Nonetheless, the EFCC has vowed to keep up its relentless efforts to protect individual, business, and governmental money in its mission to purge our country of all financial and economic crimes.
POLICE CONDON OFF ROAD LINKING CANADA AFTER AN EXPLOSION
Written by Kayode Olorundare
There is no sign of terrorism following the explosion on the US-Canada bridge. This is what we currently know.
Governor Kathy Hochul of New York stated that there is no sign of terrorism following the death of two persons in an automobile explosion that occurred on Wednesday at the US-Canada Rainbow Bridge border crossing. The governor said that following the event, all four of the bridges that connect Canada and the United States near Niagara Falls were promptly closed.
She stated that although the Rainbow Bridge remained down, the Peace, Whirlpool, and Lewiston-Queenston bridges reopened later on Wednesday. Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia responded, "We do have someone in mind for it and we're working through it through the JTTF," a reference to the Joint Terrorism Task Force, when asked why the FBI doesn't think there is a terrorist danger.
What is known as follows: Fast-moving vehicle: According to law enforcement officials who spoke to CNN, investigators suspect a man and his wife were driving a 2022 Bentley at a high speed when it struck a curb and then a railing, sending the car flying into the Rainbow Bridge's secondary screening area. Investigators suspect the man traveled to a casino in the US instead of the canceled KISS performance he was supposed to attend in Canada. According to law enforcement officials, the couple had left the casino when the collision happened. Social media and security camera footage shows the ashes scattered, with strong smoke and flames shooting out.
According to Hochul, a border patrol agent working in a booth also had some minor wounds. Executives briefed: The event was reported to the leaders of the United States and Canada. "At first, we weren't sure if it was a terrorist attack or not," Erie County Sheriff John Garcia stated. "Nevertheless, all necessary measures were implemented to guarantee the community's safety." Referring to the collision as a "tragic accident," he Headaches from travel: On a busy travel day, the explosion that occurred on the eve of the US Thanksgiving holiday caused closures and delays. There was a temporary stoppage of international flights into and out of Buffalo Niagara International Airport, and other travelers were advised to prepare for extra screening.