ABUJA – The Acting Chief of Army Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, has pledged to bring lasting peace to the country if confirmed as the substantive Chief of Army Staff. He made this commitment on Wednesday while appearing before the House of Representatives Joint Committee on Defence and Army at the National Assembly Complex, Abuja. The security challenges facing the nation today demand a united effort from every Nigerian, he emphasized. He further called for the strengthening of bilateral and multilateral alliances with neighboring countries, alongside fostering deeper collaboration and joint operations among the armed forces and other security agencies. “I am deeply honored this evening to be considered worthy of contributing to efforts aimed at fostering lasting peace across the length and breadth of our dear country, Nigeria. I look forward to working closely with the National Assembly and other stakeholders to achieve this noble objective. “It is with humility that I appear before you today, seeking confirmation as the 24th Chief of Army Staff of the Nigerian Army. This moment comes in the wake of an unfortunate tragedy that struck our Army and the nation as a whole with the untimely passing of the 23rd Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, after a brief illness.” “Prior to his passing, I had been appointed by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to act on behalf of Lieutenant General Lagbaja during his expected recovery and anticipated return as Chief of Army Staff. Following the untimely demise of Lieutenant General Lagbaja and his state funeral on 15 November 2024, Mr. President, in his wisdom, deemed me worthy to continue leading the Army’s outstanding efforts and subsequently secured my confirmation by the National Assembly.” “I have proudly served this great nation as an officer in the Nigerian Army for over 30 years. My extensive experience across junior, middle, and senior cadres in the military has provided me with a comprehensive understanding of national security issues and has adequately prepared me for the task for which I am being screened today. “Over the past five years, I have held senior operational and managerial roles within the Nigerian Army, contributing significantly to the overall administration and strategic direction of the service. This has afforded me valuable insights into its workings and prepared me to deliver on higher responsibilities.” “Thus, I cannot completely distance myself from the successes or setbacks of our great army in the past couple of years. However, I see my nomination as the Chief of Army Staff as a privileged opportunity to be in the driver’s seat and bring about more positive changes to the Nigerian Army to enable it to fulfil its constitutional responsibilities. “Thus, if confirmed by this joint committee and given the common mandate to lead the Nigerian Army during this period, I promise to do my best to justify the confidence imposed in me by the appointing authority which is His Excellency Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the confirming authority which is you members of the National Assembly and the generality of Nigerians. “Let me underscore that the security environment will find ourselves as a nation requires a united effort on the part of every Nigerian. We also need strong bilateral and multilateral alliances between our country and our neighbors, as well as deep collaboration and joint efforts by the services and other security agencies. “I a’m glad that this administration of His Excellency Bola Tinubu is on the right path to providing the enabling security environment for socioeconomic activities to thrive and restore a dear country to the path of pride and success,” he said. He also said the Nigerian Army requires tactical aircrafts. He said, “Aircrafts have different strata of employment. We have the tactical and the strategic strata of employment. Now the air support that we require as an army is the one at the tactical level, whereby the aircraft should be ready at the force during operations, the combat operations, at the tactical level, while the air force, being the main players in that sphere, are to give us strategic cover. So we require those aircraft and the air wing to support our operations,” he said. He said there is robust cooperation between Armed Forces addinf that he intends to enhance this to ensure that Nigeria has better security and better socio economic development. Chairman of the House Committee on Defence, Hon Babajimi Benson, said Nigeria continues to grapple with an evolving spectrum of security challenges, ranging from insurgency and banditry to communal clashes and cyber threats. He said for over a decade, the Armed Forces of Nigeria have been at the forefront of responding to these challenges, launching numerous operations and providing vital support to internal security efforts. While commending the significant successes recorded in recent years, he pointed out that it is clear more work remains to be done to achieve sustainable peace across all regions of the country. “The current dynamics of global security demand innovative and adaptive strategies. Threats are no longer confined to traditional battlefields; they now extend to cyberspace, economic domains and even the socio-political fabric of nations. “In light of this, we must prioritize a forward-looking approach to national defence, ensuring that our military is well-equipped and adequately trained to address both conventional and emerging threats,” he said. said their task was not only to assess the qualifications and vision of the nominee for Chief of Army Staff but also to establish a collaborative roadmap for tackling Nigeria’s security challenges. He said as a partner in the pursuit of a secure and prosperous Nigeria, the House remains steadfast in its commitment to legislative oversight and support for the Armed Forces. Benson said the House will continue to provide the necessary legal frameworks, advocate for adequate funding and monitor the implementation of appropriations to ensure accountability and transparency in military operations. He stressed that the position carries immense responsibility, hence the Chief of Army Staff must lead with integrity, professionalism and a deep commitment to the protection of lives and property. “If confirmed, you will be expected to foster synergy among security agencies, prioritize the welfare of troops and uphold the trust of Nigerians. This committee will ask questions that reflect the concerns of our constituents and the nation as a whole. We urge you to provide comprehensive and candid responses to guide our deliberations. “In conclusion, I extend my best wishes to the nominee as you undergo this screening process. Your role is crucial to Nigeria’s pursuit of lasting peace and stability, and we are eager to collaborate with you in achieving this shared goal.” Benson added that the results of the screening exercise would be thoroughly reviewed and presented to the House during Thursday’s plenary session.

Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has commenced the payment of the newly implemented N85,000 minimum wage to state workers, fulfilling a promise he made earlier this year. The payment, which began with November salaries, has been widely celebrated by civil servants in the state. Fubara had announced the wage increase in response to President Bola Tinubu’s approval of an N70,000 national minimum wage in July; he pledged a higher wage for state workers, citing the state’s robust Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) as a sustainable source for the increase. Under Fubara’s administration, Rivers State’s IGR has seen significant growth, rising from N11 billion under the previous government to N27 billion, enabling the execution of developmental projects without external borrowing. Chukwuma Osunna, Chairman of the Nigeria Civil Service Union, Rivers State Chapter, confirmed the payment in an interview. “The Governor has fulfilled his promise, as of today, November 27, 2024, I can confirm that he has paid the N85,000 new minimum wage to workers, and the workers are happy,” he said. ALSO READ: Rivers: Fubara approves N85,000 minimum wage for civil servants “We met under the joint council, sat with the Head of Service, saw the salary chart and confirmed that the N85,000 is well calculated and implemented in the November salary of workers, so, payment started today and by tomorrow, other banks will start to pay too” Workers in the state expressed gratitude, noting that the wage increase would boost their morale and improve their productivity. TRIBUNEONLINE Get real-time news updates from Tribune Online! Follow us on WhatsApp for breaking news, exclusive stories and interviews, and much more. Join our WhatsApp Channel nowRep. Katie Porter was granted a temporary restraining order by a judge Tuesday after she alleged that her former partner engaged in “harassment and threats” that harmed her relationship with her family and her professional reputation. The temporary domestic violence restraining order mandates that Julian Willis, Porter’s ex-boyfriend who she lived with “for brief periods of time,” according to filings with the Orange County Superior Court, stop contacting the congresswoman, her children and her current and former colleagues. The restraining order also mandates that Willis stay away from Porter. A court hearing has been scheduled for Dec. 17 for a permanent restraining order. Porter, 50, sought the restraining order after allegedly enduring “psychological abuse” as well as “three months of ongoing threats and harassment,” including a message on Saturday, Nov. 23 that “prompted that (Porter) consider suicide,” according to the declaration Porter filed with the court on Tuesday, Nov. 26. “Julian’s struggles with mental health and substance abuse have created an unsafe and unpredictable situation for me, my children, my family and my work colleagues,” Porter said in her declaration. Since Aug. 27, Willis, 55, has sent Porter more than 1,000 text messages and emails “with the clear intent to threaten and harass me,” Porter said in the filing. He continued to contact her despite her telling him to stop and blocking his texts, she said. “He stated that his goal was to ‘force me into prolonged psychiatric treatment’ and that he intended not to stop, even if I had to be hospitalized as a suicide risk,” she said. Willis, when reached by email Wednesday, said he could not comment at this time. He offered to provide one piece of documentation, but the Southern California News Group could not independently verify its validity on Wednesday. Willis told Politico Tuesday that Porter only sought a restraining order to prevent him from suing her and talking to the media. He sent 82 text messages during a 24-hour span in September, Porter said, and 55 on Nov. 12 before she blocked him from texting her. In her court filing, Porter included numerous screengrabs of text messages and emails that she said are from Willis to her, her children and colleagues. Willis, who is listed as a New Jersey resident in court documents, also allegedly attempted to extort Porter and spread false information about her, including false diagnoses of a sexually transmitted disease, to her family, journalists, and current and former coworkers, the congresswoman said. “Other threats have included statements that he will publicly humiliate me, ‘beat (me) down,’ bankrupt me, have harmful newspaper articles published about me, cause me to lose my job at UC Irvine, report me to Child Protective Services, remove my children from my custody and sue me for seven figures,” Porter alleged. “Julian has made it clear that he intends to cause significant harm to my professional reputation,” Porter said in her declaration. “His false allegations and threats to my co-workers have harmed our ability to work by creating repeated interruptions that my co-workers and I have found disruptive, concerning and threatening.” The restraining order covers Porter’s three children, who range in ages from 12 to 18 years old. Porter sought to add other adult family members to the restraining order, but the judge denied the request, saying adults not living in Porter’s home would need to request their own protective order. The order says Willis must remain at least 100 yards away from Porter and her children, their schools, Porter’s home, job and vehicle. It also says Willis cannot contact Porter’s current or former employees or co-workers to discuss Porter. Communication with government employees about other subjects, the judge said, is not prohibited by the temporary order. It’s specifically a “domestic violence restraining order,” which helps people who have been abused or threatened with abuse. “This is a very unfortunate situation,” Porter said in a statement. “Mr. Willis has suffered from well-documented mental health and substance abuse issues. As the records filed today show, those issues have gotten increasingly worse since I ended the relationship and asked him to leave my house. “In recent weeks, his threats against my family and my colleagues have escalated in both their frequency and intensity, and I feel I must ask for this order from the court. I sincerely hope he can get the help he needs.” Willis was involved in an altercation that occurred at Porter’s town hall event in Irvine in 2021. Far-right opponents disrupted the gathering, and a physical altercation broke out. Willis was cited and released for his actions during the altercation, and he was reportedly living at Porter’s Irvine home at the time. Having served three terms in Congress, Porter is set to leave at the end of this term after mounting an unsuccessful U.S. Senate bid rather than run for re-election this year. Still, her name ID is strong — she spent the days leading up to the general election campaigning for other House Democratic candidates — and she is rumored to be considering a bid for California’s governor in 2026. A recent survey conducted by researchers at USC, Cal State Long Beach and Cal Poly Pomona found that the Irvine Democrat was the favorite among 14% of respondents who were asked to pick between 13 people, declared and potential candidates for governor. For now, Porter has said she plans to resume teaching at UC Irvine Law next year while she weighs other options. If the judge does grant the permanent restraining order at the upcoming hearing, it can last up to five years, according to court filings.

After a protracted legal battle — involving dismissals, appeals and extradition from Romania — the co-founder of a California white supremacist group accused of inciting violence across the state will be freed from federal custody, a judge ruled Friday. U.S. District Judge Josephine L. Staton sentenced Robert Paul Rundo to two years but said he would be released on time served. His federal public defender said he’s spent a total of 725 days in custody. Rundo was originally arrested and charged in October 2018 for his role in the Rise Above Movement, or RAM, a group accused of brawling at political rallies throughout the state, according to a federal court filing. A federal court judge twice dismissed the case, but it was revived by appeals courts, leading to Rundo’s extradition from Romania last year to face charges in California. Rundo pleaded guilty in September to conspiracy to riot. During the sentencing hearing Friday, Rundo, 34, stood before the judge, arms crossed behind his back. He told the judge that this did not only ruin his own life, “but ruined everyone’s life that was close to me.” He said his mother and sister had to hide photos of him and that old friends lost their careers for being associated with him. “I hope to be able to move on from that time period and that mindset,” Rundo told the judge. “This process has taken nearly a decade out of my life. It’s a strong reminder to think before I speak and to think before I act.” The judge said of Rundo: “Even he sems to acknowledge that the white supremacist views that he had led him to violence.” “The court does have to consider whether his present claim that he in some respects rejects those views is genuine, and I do hope he’s sincere about that, and I think he should be given the benefit of the doubt,” Staton said. Staton gave Rundo two years of supervised release with conditions that include electronic monitoring and an order to stay away from RAM gatherings and known members. In a sentencing memo, Rundo’s public defenders called the case “extremely unusual” and said it “has hung over Mr. Rundo like a dark cloud.” Prosecutors acknowledged in a sentencing memo that years had passed since the criminal conduct in the case but maintained Rundo “has not renounced the violent extremist ideology that motivated that conduct.” “This defendant sought to further his white-supremacist ideology by plotting riots and engaging in violence at political rallies,” U.S. Atty. Martin Estrada said in a statement. “Hate and violence are antithetical to American values and tear at our community. It is therefore critical that we protect the civil and constitutional rights of our community against those who promote divisiveness.” Prosecutors and public defenders laid out Rundo’s path from Queens, N.Y., to co-founder of RAM in Southern California. At 19, Rundo pleaded guilty to gang assault and was sentenced to two years in prison, according to sentencing memos. While incarcerated, prosecutors said, he tattooed the numbers “88” — a neo-Nazi symbol signifying “HH” or “Heil Hitler,” which he later referred to as a “symbols of white pride.” Rundo’s attorneys said he covered up the tattoo several years ago. After he moved to California in 2016, Rundo’s attorneys wrote that he found a new community among members of the “alt right” and went on to co-found RAM. According to Rundo’s plea agreement, the group “represented itself as a fighting group of a new nationalist white supremacy and identity movement.” “While their views would be described as militant, white nationalist, racist, and “alt right,” it should be remembered that Mr. Rundo is not charged with a hate crime,” Rundo’s attorneys wrote in their memo. Rundo and other members attended rallies “with the intent to provoke and engage in violent physical conflicts,” according to the plea agreement. Rundo admitted to attending a Huntington Beach rally on March 25, 2016, where he and others “pursued and assaulted” people, including one protester he tackled and punched multiple times. Rundo also admitted to attending two other rallies, one in Berkeley on April 15, 2017, and another in San Bernardino on June 10, 2017, according to the agreement. Rundo was originally charged and arrested in October 2018, alongside two other alleged members, Boman and Tyler Laube of Redondo Beach. Judge Cormac J. Carney at least twice dismissed charges against Rundo and Boman, at one point finding that the men were being selectively prosecuted, while “far-left extremist groups, such as Antifa” were not. The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in July rejected that finding.

Swamp-a-laya is the right time to enjoy jambalaya, friends in Basin

During the latest edition of ‘Magaly TV, la firma’ this Tuesday, November 26, the host Magaly Medina He received his lawyer Benji Espinoza on his set, to talk about the notarial letter that Yahaira Plasencia sent him. However, he took advantage of a few minutes to speak indirectly about the response of Rodrigo González, after he sent her a notarized letter for linking her to ‘Chibolín’. What did Magaly Medina say exactly? At the beginning, Magaly Medina He pointed out that he is aware that, since he became a public figure, he developed a high level of tolerance in the face of the constant criticism leveled at him. However, the ‘Magpie’ has always shown that everything ‘slides’ for him. “I criticize her (Yahaira Plasencia), as I criticize anyone, as I am also the object of criticism from other things. In my entire life I have not sued anyone, I think I have to have a high level of tolerance because I chose to be a woman who is in front of a TV camera and who wants to gain the favor of an audience. “I have to endure like the machos,” expressed the ‘Urraca’ in her program. Nevertheless, Magaly Medina She clarified that she will never let people speak ill of her without evidence, which would show that it was a clear reference to the presenter. Rodrigo González. “What I can’t stand is when I already send notarized letters and we will continue other processes... that’s when, without proof, they call me corrupt. I’m not going to tolerate that from anyone; Otherwise, you can tell me anything. Every day on my social networks they say that I dress like bataclana; “I look in the mirror and I see myself very elegant,” she added. Benji Espinoza would have confirmed that it was ‘Peluchín’ It was there where the lawyer Magaly Medina Benji Espinoza, would have hinted that the journalist was referring to Rodrigo González with her statements. “He is a person who believes that insinuations do not harm honor and it seems that his lawyer, who has been your lawyer, has not taught him plenary agreement 3-2006, where the Supreme Court says that insinuations can affect honor , but we already have another program to talk about that,” the specialist expressed clearly. It should be noted that Magaly Medina pointed out that what they say about her are not simple insinuations. “They are not just insinuations; If they were insinuations, I don’t mind, but the statements, those are the ones that do,” concluded the ‘Urraca’. Join our entertainment channel(CNN) — After recent burglaries at homes of professional athletes – including Kansas City Chiefs stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce – the NFL has issued a security bulletin to teams and the players union warning that “organized and skilled groups” are increasingly targeting players’ residences for such crimes. The memo, issued Wednesday and obtained by CNN, warns that players across multiple sports leagues are being targeted. Perpetrators “appear to exploit team schedules to target athletes’ homes on game days,” and appear to be using public records, social media, media reports and surveillance to gather information on their targets, it says. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

NEW YORK (AP) — Sean “Diddy” Combs was denied bail on Wednesday as he awaits a May sex trafficking trial by a judge who cited evidence showing him to be a serious risk of witness tampering and proof that he has violated regulations in jail. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * NEW YORK (AP) — Sean “Diddy” Combs was denied bail on Wednesday as he awaits a May sex trafficking trial by a judge who cited evidence showing him to be a serious risk of witness tampering and proof that he has violated regulations in jail. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? NEW YORK (AP) — Sean “Diddy” Combs was denied bail on Wednesday as he awaits a May sex trafficking trial by a judge who cited evidence showing him to be a serious risk of witness tampering and proof that he has violated regulations in jail. U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian made the decision in a written ruling following a bail hearing last week, when lawyers for the hip-hop mogul argued that a $50 million bail package they proposed would be sufficient to ensure Combs doesn’t flee and doesn’t try to intimidate prospective trial witnesses. Two other judges previously had been persuaded by prosecutors’ arguments that the Bad Boy Records founder was a danger to the community if he is not behind bars. Lawyers did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment on the decision. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to charges that he coerced and abused women for years, aided by associates and employees. An indictment alleges that he silenced victims through blackmail and violence, including kidnapping, arson and physical beatings. A federal appeals court judge last month denied Combs’ immediate release while a three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan considers his bail request. Prosecutors have insisted that no bail conditions would be sufficient to protect the public and prevent the “I’ll Be Missing You” singer from fleeing. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. They say that even in a federal lockup in Brooklyn, Combs has orchestrated social media campaigns designed to influence prospective jurors and tried to publicly leak materials he thinks can help his case. They say he also has contacted potential witnesses through third parties. Lawyers for Combs say any alleged sexual abuse described in the indictment occurred during consensual relations between adults and that new evidence refutes allegations that Combs used his “power and prestige” to induce female victims into drugged-up, elaborately produced sexual performances with male sex workers known as “Freak Offs.” Advertisement AdvertisementBJP-led Centre trying to manipulate electoral rolls to win Delhi poll: Atishi