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I’ll break tradition if Trump threatens core American values – Obama

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US President Barack Obama has said he may speak out after leaving office if he feels his successor Donald Trump is threatening core American values.

Obama

By convention, former presidents tend to leave the political fray and avoid commenting on their successors, but speaking at a news conference at the Apec summit in Lima, Peru, Obama said he intended to assist Trump and give him time to outline his vision.

He said that, as a private citizen, he might speak out on certain issues.

“I want to be respectful of the office and give the president-elect an opportunity to put forward his platform and his arguments without somebody popping off,” Obama said.

But, he added, if an issue “goes to core questions about our values and our ideals, and if I think that it’s necessary or helpful for me to defend those ideals, then I’ll examine it when it comes”.

The president described himself as an “American citizen who cares deeply about our country”.

Speaking at a news conference to mark the end of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit, Obama reiterated that he would extend to Trump’s incoming administration the same professional courtesy shown to his team by his predecessor George W Bush.

Bush has refrained since leaving office from commenting on Obama’s presidency. “I don’t think it does any good,” he told CNN in 2013, after Obama was elected for a second time.

“It’s a hard job. He’s got plenty on his agenda. It’s difficult. A former president doesn’t need to make it any harder. Other presidents have taken different decisions; that’s mine.”

Bush’s stance falls in line with tradition. US presidents tend to avoid criticising predecessors or successors. Obama was clear that he would not weigh in on Trump’s decisions while he is still in office, but his suggestion that, as a private citizen, he would seek to defend “core values” comes amid mounting concern among civil rights groups and others about Trump’s political appointments.

The president-elect’s chief strategist, Steve Bannon, was previously the head of Breitbart, a website which has been accused of promoting racism and anti-Semitism. And Trump’s national security adviser, General Michael Flynn, has previously likened Islam to a “cancer” spreading through the US.

Trump’s nominee for attorney general, Jeff Sessions, was rejected from becoming a federal judge in 1986 because of alleged racist remarks.

Obama said he believed that the intense responsibility of the presidency would force Trump to moderate some of the more extreme policy positions he advocated during his campaign.

Asked about the failure of the Democratic party’s campaign under Hillary Clinton, Obama was critical of what he described as the “micro-targeting” of “particular, discrete groups”, rather than an effort to reach out to the entire country.

Mrs Clinton has been criticised for focusing her energy on certain demographics, including Latinos and women, who were believed to support her, at the expense of a more inclusive campaign.

That approach “is not going to win you the broad mandate that you need”, Obama said, adding that the party needed a “smarter message”.

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IGP Never Ordered Beating, Attacks On Policemen During Stop And Search. It Is A Lie – FPRO

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The Nigeria Police Force wishes to address a viral fake news story that has emerged, claiming that Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM., has instructed citizens to physically assault and throw stones at police officers who request to search their phones.

This claim is entirely false and has no basis in reality. The IGP has not issued any such directive encouraging violence against law enforcement officers. Instead, he has called on citizens to report instances of police misconduct through appropriate channels. This approach underscores the importance of accountability and maintaining the rule of law, rather than resorting to violent actions.

Members of the public are urged to make use of the following Police helplines & contacts to lay complaints whenever necessary: +2347056792065, +2349133333785, +2349133333786, @PoliceNG on X, @ngpolice on Facebook, and @nigeriapoliceforce on Instagram. Citizens can also contact us by mail through; pressforabuja@police.gov.ng and reach us through the police website at npf.gov.ng

Members of the public are advised to remain vigilant against misinformation and verify information through credible sources. The Nigeria Police Force remains committed to fostering a cooperative and trustful relationship between the police and the communities they serve.

ACP OLUMUYIWA ADEJOBI, mnipr, mipra, fCAI
FPRO, ABUJA.
22ND DECEMBER 2024.

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Court stops customs from seizing imported rice in markets, seaports

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A court of appeal in Kaduna has ruled that the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) should not impound foreign rice in the open market or on highways.

In a judgment delivered on December 6, a three-member panel of justices led by Ntong Ntong held that existing laws restrict NCS’ enforcement to land borders only.

The judgment was delivered in an appeal filed by the NCS, against a decision of the federal high court that acquitted one Suleiman Mohammed, a businessman, of charges related to the importation of rice.

Customs had arrested Mohammed after seizing a truck carrying 613 bags of foreign rice and 80 bags of millet belonging to the businessman on June 14, 2019, along the Kaduna-Zaria expressway.

Mohammed was charged and arraigned on a two-count charge.

However, in a judgment delivered on November 10, 2021, Z. B. Abubakar, trial judge, acquitted the defendants of the charges.

Abubakar held that the plaintiffs (customs) failed to adduce enough evidence to prove that the defendant imported the goods.

The judge also held that there is no subsisting blanket ban on the importation of foreign rice as claimed by the plaintiffs.

“…the evidence led by the prosecution through PW1, PW2, PW3 and the Exhibits tendered has not established that the Defendant imported Exhibit ‘NCS B1-B612’. Even the investigation conducted by the complainant (Nigeria Customs Service Board) on Exhibit ‘NCS B1-B612,” the judge held.

“As a matter of fact, Exhibit ‘NCS D’ could not reveal who imported the said Exhibits or where they imported from.

“It should be borne in mind that importation of foreign rice is not absolutely or totally prohibited. It is only importation of the product through the land borders of this country that was proscribed by the Federal Government vide Circular No. NCS/TXT/1XE/045/S.416/VOL.1X of 18th March, 2016. The circular provided that foreign rice only be imported into the country through seaports.”

The trial judge held that the prosecution failed to show that the goods were imported through land borders, adding that “the said exhibits could have been imported through the seaport, and the court is entitled to presume so”.

Furthermore, the lower court held that “loading any foreign rice into a truck is not an offence under both Sections 46(b) and 47(1) (a) (ii) of Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) (Supra)”.

“It is the landing or unloading of goods or foreign rice at designated customs port CA/K/33/C/2022 or wharf that is prohibited by the aforementioned provisions of the Act,” the judge ruled.

‘APPEAL IS A HOAX’

Aggrieved by the trial court’s judgment, NCS filed an appeal.

However, the appellate court commended the trial court judge for “doing justice in the evaluation of the law and evidence adduced before it”.

Ntong said he agreed with the arguments put forward by the respondent’s lawyer and the judgment of the trial court.

“Truly, I also agree with the learned trial judge, that Kaduna-Zaria expressway is not a “Land border” as stipulated by the law and Exhibit “NCS D,” the justice held.

“Importation of foreign rice in any wise is not generally prohibited. It is restricted to land borders alone.

“If I were in the shoes of the appellant (NCS), I would have honourably thrown in the towel as this appeal is simply a hoax, a fluke and unmeritorious whatsoever.

“From the evidence in the Record of Appeal, the Respondent was merely a purchaser for value and not an importer. The Appellant ought to have arrested the importer and not a mere purchaser from open market with a receipt of purchase Exhibit NCS D.

“How can a fowl leave to attack who killed it to pursue who is de-feathering it? This is an Annang-African Idiom that means the Appellant ought not to shut its eyes away from the importer and be chasing petty traders and consumers who buy from the open market. After all prohibited or contraband goods always pass through the borders which are the beats of the Appellant.”

Consequently, the court dismissed the appeal in favour of the respondents.

The court further ordered customs to return all the goods seized from the businessman in 2019 or pay him the money equivalent.

“Consequently, the Appellant is hereby ordered to release or cause the release of the 613 bags of foreign rice, 80 bags of millet, Exhibit “C” and DAF truck with Registration Number: 57 BS 45 impounded and confiscated from the Respondent on 14th June, 2019 to the said Respondent Suleiman Mohammed or his representative forthwith,” the judge ruled.

“Where it has become difficult or impossible to return the items aforesaid, the Appellant shall pay to the Respondent a sum of money equivalent to the current price or cost of the items aforementioned.”

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Many feared dead as rice distribution causes stampede in Anambra

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An unconfirmed number of residents of Okija community in Anambra state have reportedly lost their lives in a stampede.

TheCable understands that the stampede occurred on Saturday morning during an event for the distribution of rice.

Victims of the stampede are mostly women.

Multiple social media videos seen by TheCable show lifeless bodies laying on the ground after the incident.

Some victims have reportedly been taken to nearby hospitals.

Charles Aburime, the chief press secretary to the Anambra governor, confirmed the incident when contacted.

Aburime said the state government is monitoring the situation and would soon release a statement.

The incident is coming a few days after over 35 people, mostly children, died during a stampede at a carnival in Ibadan, Oyo state capital.

The Anambra stampede is the second rice distribution-related mishap in 2024.

In March, some students of Nasarawa State University, Keffi, were killed in a stampede during the distribution of rice donated by the state government.

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Bodex F. Hungbo, SPMIIM is a multiple award-winning Nigerian Digital Media Practitioner, Digital Strategist, PR consultant, Brand and Event Expert, Tv Presenter, Tier-A Blogger/Influencer, and a top cobbler in Nigeria.

She has widespread experiences across different professions and skills, which includes experiences in; Marketing, Media, Broadcasting, Brand and Event Management, Administration and Management with prior stints at MTN, NAPIMS-NNPC, GLOBAL FLEET OIL AND GAS, LTV, Silverbird and a host of others

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