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US Anti-narcotics Bureau, Nigeria Police Sign Agreement

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The United States Government’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Nigeria Police Force concerning the operationalisation of the Special Intervention Squad.

The PUNCH reports that the Inspector General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, following his assumption of office in June 2023, declared the establishment of the SIS.

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Formalising the agreement at the Force Headquarters on Monday, the IG noted that it was a joint initiative aimed at strengthening the capacity of the Nigeria Police Force to address emerging security challenges.

Egbetokun said, “We express our gratitude for the collaboration with the US Government. International partnerships, no doubt are important in addressing transnational crime and ensuring the overall safety and security of our dear country.”

Meanwhile, the NPF had earlier revealed that the deployment of 40,000 operatives of the Special Intervention Squad who are currently undergoing training, would begin with Katsina and nine other states.

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The Force Headquarters also revealed that the proposed commanders that will be in charge of the squad will be trained in Mexico while noting that the deployment to the 10 carefully selected states is to pilot the activities of the SIS.

Egbetokun had earlier noted that the SIS would be a standby team of specially trained officers to quickly intervene in large insecurity occurrences, adding that it was part of the priority in his administration’s endeavour to combat the country’s threat of violent crime.

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In June, The PUNCH reported that following the establishment of the 40,000-man Special Intervention Squad, IG Egbetokun announced plans to withdraw Police Mobile Force personnel from VIP escort/guard duties.

Egbetokun who spoke during a meeting with Squadron leaders and Tactical Commanders at the Force Headquarters, said the development was to allow the police to take back its place in the ‘internal security architecture’ of the country.

READ ALSO: Japa: Over 1,000 Nigerians Fell Victims Of Fake UK Jobs, Says IOM

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Meanwhile, while clarifying the misunderstanding in regards to the IG’s directive concerning the proposed withdrawal of the Police Mobile Force from specialised escort and services for VIPs, the spokesperson for the NPF, Olumuyiwa Adejobi noted that the NPF did not intend to strip VIPs (who are legally and statutorily entitled to police escorts) of their security details, noting that doing so would be unsafe and counterproductive.

He said, “Get the message right: We understand that there has been some misunderstanding regarding the directive of IG Olukayode Egbetokun about withdrawing members of the Police Mobile Force Unit from Specialised Escort and Services for VIPs. It’s crucial to provide clarifications to address this.

“First and foremost, let us be clear: at no point did the Force intend to strip VIPs (who are legally and statutorily entitled to Police escorts) of their security details. Doing so would be unsafe and counterproductive. Instead, the objective is to reassign the withdrawn PMF personnel to the recently established Special Intervention Squad.

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“For those who genuinely require specialised police escorts, this vital service will continue to be provided by other units of the Force, such as the Special Protection Unit. However, individuals who do not fall within and enjoy the legal framework for such security details would strictly be screened and their applications thoroughly assessed for consideration, if necessary.

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“To eliminate any misunderstandings, it’s crucial to clarify that the withdrawal of Police Mobile Force (PMF) personnel does not equate to a blanket ban on all Police Officers from providing VIP escort services. This withdrawal pertains specifically to PMF personnel, who are just one unit within the broader Police Force.

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“We encourage everyone to read the full contents of our press statements rather than giving headlines whimsical meanings and spreading distorted information. For a comprehensive understanding of this matter, we strongly recommend referring to our press releases dated June 29, 2023, July 10, 2023, and July 24, 2023. These statements provide a clear and accurate perspective on this directive.”

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Corporation For Public Broadcasting To Shut Down Following Trump’s Funding Cuts

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The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) announced on Friday that it will shut down operations, ending over 60 years of public media funding.

The move comes after President Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers succeeded in eliminating federal support for the organization.

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Trump recently signed a rescissions bill canceling $9 billion in previously approved government spending. Of that amount, $1.1 billion had been allocated to CPB for the next two years.

Trump has long criticized public media as “biased” against conservatives and made repeated efforts to cut its funding.

READ ALSO:Trump Says Hamas Doesn’t Want A Deal, ‘Want To Die’

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Despite the extraordinary efforts of millions of Americans who called, wrote, and petitioned Congress to preserve federal funding for CPB, we now face the difficult reality of closing our operations,” said CPB President and CEO Patricia Harrison.

“CPB remains committed to fulfilling its fiduciary responsibilities and supporting our partners through this transition with transparency and care.”

The organization is now focused on helping local PBS and NPR stations—especially those in rural areas—prepare for the resulting budget shortfalls.

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Harrison previously warned that some stations could be forced to close entirely.

Larger outlets may survive with help from donors and other revenue streams, but public media leaders say the national network will be severely weakened.

READ ALSO:CWC: Trump Put Your Medal In His Pocket, Took It To White House – Cucurella Tells Madueke

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The ripple effects of this closure will be felt across every public media organization and, more importantly, in every community across the country that relies on public broadcasting,” said NPR CEO Katherine Maher.

The CPB expects to eliminate most of its 100 staff positions by September 30, when the current funding expires.

A small transition team will remain until January to oversee a “responsible and orderly closeout of operations.”

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The shutdown marks a political win for Trump, who has pushed for defunding CPB since the start of his presidency. Earlier this year, he tried to remove three board members, despite lacking legal authority under the 1967 law that created the corporation.

CPB filed a lawsuit to block that attempt, but on Friday, it voluntarily dropped the case—effectively conceding defeat.

READ ALSO:US Appeal Court Rules Against Trump Birthright Citizenship Order

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REPUBLICANS HAVE TRIED DOING THIS FOR 40 YEARS, AND FAILED… BUT NO MORE,” Trump posted on Truth Social, celebrating the bill’s passage through the GOP-controlled House and Senate.

Some advocates had hoped that Congress might still restore funding through the usual budget process.

However, a draft Senate bill released Thursday included no CPB funding—suggesting those hopes are now unlikely to materialize.

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Trump and other Republicans argue that defunding CPB is a stand against liberal influence in public broadcasting.

Public media supporters say the move undermines civic life and access to reliable news.

READ ALSO:Anxiety As Trump Gives Russia 50 Days To Make Ukraine Deal

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The end of CPB is the direct result of the deep and corrupt failure of Congress and the Trump administration to invest in informing the American public,” said Craig Aaron, co-CEO of media advocacy group Free Press.

They have trashed decades of democracy-building work and will deny many journalists, artists, educators and creators the opportunity to be heard.”

Aaron said he still believes there’s a chance to rebuild publicly funded media from the ground up. He called for a new system “as a bulwark against authoritarianism that meets the civic needs of all our communities.”

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Some broadcasters are already mobilizing support. In Boston, GBH put up a sign reading, “Local. Trusted. Defunded.”

“We’re not backing down,” the station said in a fundraising message. “But we can’t do it without you. Donate now to keep public media strong and independent.”

(CNN)

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Anxiety As Trump Deploys US Nuclear Submarines Near Russia After ex-President’s Comment

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United States President, Donald Trump, says he has ordered two nuclear submarines to “be positioned in the appropriate regions” after what he called “highly provocative” remarks by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

Trump said he acted “just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that. Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences, I hope this will not be one of those instances.”

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He did not reveal where the submarines are being sent, following standard U.S. military protocol.

Medvedev recently issued threats toward the U.S. in response to Trump’s demands that Moscow agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine or face strict sanctions.

READ ALSO:Trump Says Hamas Doesn’t Want A Deal, ‘Want To Die’

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According to BBC, the U.S. and Russia hold the largest nuclear arsenals in the world, and both maintain fleets of nuclear submarines.

In a post on Truth Social on Friday, Trump wrote: “Based on the highly provocative statements of the former president of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev, who is now the deputy chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, I have ordered two nuclear submarines to be positioned in the appropriate regions.”

Trump did not specify whether the submarines were nuclear-powered or nuclear-armed.

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Later that day, speaking to reporters, Trump said: “A threat was made, and we didn’t think it was appropriate. So I have to be very careful. I do that on the basis of safety for our people. A threat was made by a former president of Russia. And we’re going to protect our people.”

The Kremlin has not commented publicly, but Moscow’s stock market dropped sharply after Trump’s announcement.

READ ALSO:Anxiety As Trump Gives Russia 50 Days To Make Ukraine Deal

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Trump and Medvedev have been trading personal attacks on social media in recent weeks.

Trump has set new deadlines for Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine, the latest being August 8. Putin has not shown any sign of complying.

Earlier this week, Trump had mentioned a “10 or 12” day deadline. In July, he warned of heavy tariffs on Russian oil and other exports if Putin did not stop the war within 50 days.

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Medvedev, who served as Russia’s president from 2008 to 2012, accused Trump of playing “the ultimatum game with Russia.”

In a post on X, he wrote that “each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war.”

READ ALSO:Trump Birthright Citizenship Order Halted In Class-action Suit

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Earlier in July, Medvedev called Trump’s ultimatum “theatrical,” adding that “Russia didn’t care.”

Writing on Telegram on Thursday, Medvedev warned of a “dead hand” threat — a phrase some analysts interpreted as a reference to Russia’s nuclear retaliation system.

Friday’s announcement wasn’t Trump’s first response to Medvedev. On Thursday, Trump called him “the failed former president of Russia, who thinks he’s still president,” and warned him to “watch his words,” adding, “he’s entering very dangerous territory!”

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Medvedev has backed Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine and remains a vocal critic of the West.

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Circumcision For Young Men Aged 16 To 26 Goes Awry In South Africa, 39 Dead, Dozens Organs Mutilated

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This year’s circumcision ceremony where men between the ages of 16 and 26 undergo agonising ritual ceremony has ended in South Africa, with 39 deaths recorded and dozens others had their male organs mutilated.

Among the Xhosa people of South Africa, the circumcision ceremony, known as Uwaluko, marks the transition from boyhood to manhood when the men undergo three-month seasons of initiation which always end with the circumcision.

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However, according to the Daily Mail of UK, this year’s version did not go as expected as 39 young men who took part in the ceremony died due to the excruciating pains they passed through.

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The circumcision for the young men is said to be compulsory among the Xhosa people. Reports said without undergoing the ceremony, they are not allowed to sit at community meetings neither are they allowed to take part in some social activities or even get married.

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During the circumcision, unskilled traditional ‘surgeons’ used old spears and razor blades to perform the eye-watering rituals under the supervision of tribal leaders, causing some to suffer from gangrene, sepsis and dehydration. This ultimately led to the death of the 39 young men. Those who died as a result of dehydration were said to have been instructed not to drink water in order to prevent urination after circumcision.

According to Daily Mail, although there are calls to ban the dangerous practice, some have argued that it is an important part of Xhosa culture and every year, hundreds of young men undergo what was described as “the sacred ceremony” which dates back to generations.

READ ALSO:South Africa Govt Detains Miss Universe Nigeria, Chidinma Adetshina’s Mother For Alleged Forgery

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Although the men in the community have a choice whether to undertake the circumcision or not, there is however huge peer pressure and those who refuse to undergo the ritual are referred to as ‘boys,’ a form of harsh insult on their manhood.

One of those who survived the harrowing exercise, Scotty Dawka, aged 19, recounted his experience to the Daily Mail.

I was of course very scared of going. In my community, many young men went through the initiation before me and I wanted to be the same as them. I wanted to be looked up to as a man in my village by the elders. It was very painful to go through and I fell ill, but I was treated and I survived,” he said.

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