US authorities on Wednesday said Iranian cyberattackers had offered “stolen, non-public” material from Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s campaign to staff for his then White House rival, Joe Biden.

US intelligence and law enforcement agencies said the hackers “sent unsolicited emails to individuals then associated with President Biden’s campaign that contained an excerpt taken from stolen, non-public material from former president Trump’s campaign.”

Biden was at the time the Democratic presidential nominee, before dramatically stepping aside in July and endorsing his vice president, Kamala Harris.

The joint statement from the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said none of Biden’s campaign staff replied to the emails.

In August, the same agencies first attributed the hack to Iran, accusing Tehran of seeking to influence the 2024 election. Iran denies the allegations.

“Foreign actors are increasing their election influence activities” as Election Day in November approaches, the US statement said, singling out Russia, Iran and China as “trying by some measure to exacerbate divisions in US society for their own benefit.”

The US agencies said the Iranian cyberattackers had also attempted to share the information stolen from the Trump campaign with US media organizations. It did not name the outlets.

On Wednesday, the Iranian mission to the United Nations vehemently denied the allegations.

“Already devoid of any credibility and legitimacy, such allegations are fundamentally unfounded, and wholly inadmissible,” it said in a statement.

“Iran neither has any motive nor intent to interfere in the U.S. election; and, it therefore categorically repudiates such accusations.”

The United States goes to the polls on November 5, with both the Trump and Harris campaigns saying they have been targeted by cyberattacks in recent weeks.

US-based tech companies have also said they detected such attacks.
Trump’s campaign on Wednesday said the plot attributed to Tehran was “proof the Iranians are actively interfering in the election to help Kamala Harris and Joe Biden.”

Trump campaign press secretary Karoline Leavitt said this was “because they know President Trump will restore his tough sanctions and stand against their reign of terror.”

In 2016, a hack of Democratic National Committee emails — blamed on Russians — exposed internal party communications, including about candidate Hillary Clinton.

Trump, who would go on to win that election, was criticized for encouraging the hack.

Harris’s campaign said on August 13 that it too had been targeted by foreign hackers, but did not give an indication of which country was believed to be behind the attempt.

The Nigeria Customs Service, Kirikiri Lighter Terminal said it intercepted 51.25 kilogrammes of cannabis indica valued at N256 million in September.

In a statement released on Thursday, the Customs Area Controller in charge of the command, Joy Edeldouk, disclosed this while handing over the seized hard drugs to officers of the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency at the command in Apapa, Lagos

Edeldouk added that the act violates the provision of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, Section 55 sub-section 1C and 1F.

She maintained that the interception was a testament to the command’s continued dedication and commitment to safeguarding the nation’s borders from the importation of illicit and harmful substances.

“In line with the CGC’s policy thrust of collaboration, consolidation, and innovation, on Wednesday 11th of September, our vigilant officers, working in conjunction with the NDLEA, intercepted a consignment of cannabis indica weighing 51.25kg valued at N256m”, Edeldouk said.

According to her, the negative impact of drugs, such as cannabis indica, on individuals, families, and society at large ranges from the destruction of lives to an increase in crime, fueling violence, among others.

Edeldouk maintained that by keeping these dangerous substances out of the communities, “we are preventing untold harm and helping secure a safer future for our citizens, particularly our youths who are most vulnerable to the allure of these harmful substances,”

The KLT Customs boss, however, added that the seized drugs, alongside the suspects, were handed over to officers of the NDLEA for further investigation and prosecution.

She vowed to ensure that the suspects face the full wrath of the law, adding that the command remains committed to dealing with any other person caught in the same crime.

Edeldouk warned all unscrupulous importers who might be contemplating testing the resolve of the Nigeria Customs Service to desist from that.

She reiterated that the service is unwavering in its duty to protect the integrity of the borders and would not hesitate to bring those involved in illegal importation to justice.

She mentioned that the NCS, in collaboration with other agencies, would continue to intensify its efforts to rid the country of dangerous contraband.

She promised legitimate traders that the service remained committed to ensuring that the facilitation of legitimate trade is unhindered, “but for those seeking to engage in illegal activities, our message is simple, there is no room for criminality in NCS anyone who dares to breach the law of the country would be caught and prosecuted to the full extent of the law,”

The former military head of state, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd), has warned that the economic hardship in Nigeria is getting out of control and he urged the government to act fast.

“The hardship in the land is getting out of control,” he said at his residence in Minna when he received the leadership of the Campaign for Democracy and Human Rights led by Abdullahi Mohammed Jabi who paid him a birthday visit, yesterday.

General Abdulsalami added, per The Sun: “Everybody is crying about this hardship and it seems to be getting out of control, people cannot afford three square meals, the issue of transportation, the hike in fuel, the hike in school fees for the children and the lack of funds in everybody’s pocket is making life difficult for everybody, Nigerians are suffering.

“We will continue to encourage the government to introduce measures to soften the hardship” adding that ” the federal, states and local governments should see how they can cushion this economic hardship.”

The former military leader, however, disclosed that he belonged to a forum that had made recommendations to the federal government on the way out of the economic hardship in the land.

“I would like to inform you that in some of the proposals we have given to the government on another platform that giving Palliatives is not the answer to the high prices of food and other items in the country.

“There is a need for the government to flood and saturate the communities with food, let them (Government) buy food and sell it at lesser prices to the people so that people will try to buy some of these food items depending on their pockets/ income.

“We have passed these recommendations to the government, we hope they will implement it”, he added.

Former Kogi state governor, Yahaya Bello, on Wednesday, September 18, turned himself in to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The former Governor was declared wanted by the EFCC for alleged fraud and corrupt enrichment while in office.

A statement released today September 18 by the Director, Yahaya Bello Media Office, Ohiare Michael, said the decision to turn himself in was made after due consultations with family, legal team and political allies.

“The former Governor, who has great respect for the rule of law and constituted authority, had, all the while, only sought the enforcement of his fundamental rights in order to ensure due process. The case has been before a competent court of jurisdiction, and Alhaji Yahaya Bello had been duly represented by his legal team at every hearing. It is important for the former Governor to now honour the invitation of the EFCC to clear his name as he has nothing to hide and nothing to fear.

The former Governor believes firmly in the efforts of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to place Nigeria on the path of sustainable economic development; and supports the fight against corruption in the country.

It is on record that he was the first Governor of Kogi State to put in place an anti-corruption mechanism to check graft and ensure that the resources of the State work for the people of the State.

He was accompanied to the EFCC Headquarters by high profile Nigerians.

It is our hope that the Commission will be as professional as necessary and respect his fundamental rights as a citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Details of his engagement with the operatives of the Anti-Graft Agency will be disclosed later.”

It would be recalled that Bello was sued by the EFCC on a 19-count charge of alleged money laundering to the tune of N80bn. However, Bello has consistently refused to honour EFCC’s invitations for questioning, and has consistently boycotted court trials.

The Ogun State Police Command has arrested a man named Tahiru Hamidu for allegedly r@ping a mentally unstable married woman in the Owode community, located in the Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of the state.

The spokesperson for the command, Omolola Odutola, confirmed the arrest to Punch on Tuesday, September 17, 2024.

It was gathered that the suspect allegedly exploited the survivor’s condition to engage in non-consensual s@xual intercourse on multiple occasions before he was apprehended by the men of the Owode Egba Division on September 12, 2024.

The suspect was also accused of threatening to murder the survivor’s brother-in-law, known only as Shofolahan, if he did not permit him to continue r@ping his brother’s wife.

On one occasion, Hamidu, from Northern Nigeria, was accused of luring the survivor to a cassava plantation, where he allegedly r@ped her multiple times before releasing her.

“The survivor is mentally incapacitated. The brother-in-law who reported the case claims that the suspect threatened to kill him to prevent him from stopping the crimes. The suspect is accused of repeatedly engaging in s@xual acts with the survivor,” the PPRO said.

“The suspect is also accused of luring the survivor to a cassava plantation in the community, where he allegedly engaged in non-consensual s@xual intercourse with her repeatedly

“He began threatening the brother-in-law, warning him to stop preventing him from having s@xual intercourse with the survivor and demanding that he hand her over to him.”

Odutola added that the investigation into the crime was ongoing following the suspect’s arrest.

Statistics from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention have shown that more of those getting infected with Mpox in Nigeria are males.

According to figures posted on the NCDC website on Monday, September 16, 67 per cent of Mpox cases recorded since January 2024 were in males.

The agency said, “Men are predominantly affected, accounting for approximately 70 per cent of 6,001 suspected and confirmed Mpox cases recorded in Nigeria since September 2017, when the first confirmed cases occurred.”

The figures revealed that a total of 1,031 suspected cases have been reported across 47 local government areas in 23 states and the Federal Capital Territory, with 67 confirmed cases in 2024.

The age and sex distribution in the report showed that children under five years old are the most affected, followed by the 26-30 and 46-50 age groups.

Out of the 64 confirmed cases recorded in 2024, children under five accounted for the highest number, with 15 confirmed cases.

The NCDC highlighted that men are predominantly affected, accounting for approximately 70 per cent of the 6,001 suspected and confirmed Mpox cases recorded in Nigeria since September 2017, when the first confirmed cases occurred.

Mpox, previously known as Monkey Pox, is an infectious viral disease that can occur in humans and other animals. Symptoms include a rash that forms blisters and then crusts over, fever, and swollen lymph nodes.

The Israeli military said on Wednesday that four soldiers were killed during fighting in southern Gaza on Tuesday.

A female paramedic was among those killed, the military said, adding that six soldiers were also wounded, three of them critically.

The latest fatalities bring the military’s losses in the Gaza campaign to 348 since the start of a ground offensive in the Palestinian territory on October 27.

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has officially approved the transfer of regulatory oversight of the electricity market in Kogi to the Kogi State Electricity Regulatory Commission.

This development followed the compliance of the state government with the stipulations outlined in the amended Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Electricity Act 2023 (Amended).

In a statement on NERC’s official handle on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, the commission highlighted the legal basis for this decision.

“In compliance with the amended Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (CFRN) and the Electricity Act 2023 (Amended), the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has issued an order to transfer regulatory oversight of the electricity market in Kogi State from the Commission to the Kogi State Electricity Regulatory Commission (KSERC),” it stated.

NERC retains its role as the central regulator, overseeing inter-state and international electricity generation, transmission, supply, and trading activities.

However, the Electricity Act of 2023 allows states to establish and regulate intrastate electricity markets, provided they submit a formal notification to NERC and fulfil all legal requirements.

“The EA also mandates any state that intends to establish and regulate intrastate electricity markets to deliver a formal notification of its processes and request NERC to transfer regulatory authority over electricity operations in the state to the State Regulator,” the statement added.

Kogi having complied with these requirements, formally requested NERC to transfer the regulatory oversight of its intrastate electricity market. In response, NERC has issued an order that outlines several directives for the transfer process.

Key provisions in the transfer order include directing the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company to incorporate a subsidiary, referred to as AEDC SubCo, which will handle the intrastate supply and distribution of electricity in Kogi State.

“The AEDC shall complete the incorporation of AEDC SubCo within 60 days from 13th September 2024. The sub-company shall apply for and obtain a licence for the intrastate supply and distribution of electricity from KSERC,” NERC emphasised.

NERC has set a deadline for the completion of all transfers under this order by 12th March 2025.

Hundreds of pagers used by Hezbollah members exploded across Lebanon Tuesday, killing at least nine people and wounding around 2,800 in blasts the Iran-backed militant group blamed on Israel.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military on the wave of explosions, which came just hours after Israel announced it was broadening the aims of the war sparked by Hamas’s October 7 attacks to include its fight against Hezbollah along the country’s border with Lebanon.

The blasts “killed nine people, including a girl”, Lebanese Health Minister Firass Abiad said.

He added that about “2,800 people were injured, about 200 of them critically”.

“This was more than lithium batteries being forced into override,” said Charles Lister of the Middle East Institute.

“A small plastic explosive was almost certainly concealed alongside the battery, for remote detonation via a call or page.”

Israel’s spy agency “Mossad infiltrated the supply chain”, he said.

The influx of so many casualties all at once overwhelmed hospitals in Hezbollah strongholds.

At one hospital in Beirut’s southern suburbs, an AFP correspondent saw people being treated in a car park on thin mattresses, with medical gloves on the ground and ambulance stretchers covered in blood.

“In all my life I’ve never seen someone walking on the street… and then explode,” said Musa, a resident of the southern suburbs, requesting to be identified only by his first name.

The 10-year-old daughter of a Hezbollah member was killed in east Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley when his pager exploded, the family and a source close to the group said.

A son of Hezbollah lawmaker Ali Ammar was also among the dead, a source close to the group told AFP, requesting anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.

Tehran’s ambassador in Beirut was wounded but his injuries were not serious, Iranian state media reported.

The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency, NIHSA, has urged states along the Benue River to increase their vigilance.

The call is coming following the ongoing plan by the management of the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon to open the dam for water to gush out.

In a statement made available to journalists on Tuesday by the NIHSA, signed by the Director General and the Chief Executive Officer, Umar Ibrahim Mohamed, he said the states likely to be affected by the flow of water from the dam are: Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Edo, Delta, Anambra, Bayelsa, Cross River, and Rivers.

The agency also called on governments at all levels to implement adequate preparedness measures to mitigate potential flooding that may result from rising river levels during this period.

The release of water, the statement said, will begin at a rate of 100 cubic meters per second (8.64 million cubic meters per day) and is expected to gradually increase to 1,000 cubic meters per second over the next seven days, depending on inflows from the upstream Garoua River, the primary feeder of the reservoir and a significant contributor to the Benue River.

“The Cameroonian dam authorities assured NIHSA that the water releases will be regulated to avoid exceeding the capacity of the Benue River and triggering major flooding downstream in Nigeria.

“The controlled water releases will cease once there is a noticeable decrease in inflow into the Lagdo reservoir,” the statement read.

NIHSA emphasized that there was no immediate cause for concern, as significant flooding downstream in Nigeria was not anticipated, adding that current water levels along the Benue River remained within safe limits.

The agency also assured the public that it would continue to closely monitor water levels along the Benue and other national inland rivers, providing regular updates to prevent any flood-related disasters.

Four persons have been burnt to death and eight others severely injured in an auto crash that occurred at RCC, Ogbere, Ore-Ijebu Ode expressway.

The crash involving a white Toyota Hiace bus with the registration number XA690AKU happened at about 2:00 p.m on Monday.

Confirming the crash, spokesperson for the Federal Road Safety Corps’ Ogun Sector Command, Florence Okpe, said 18 persons were involved in the accident.

She blamed the cause of the crash on fatigue and loss of control of the driver.

Okpe said, “A total of 18 people were involved, which comprised of eight male adults and 10 female adults. One male adult and three female adults were killed, while four male adults, four female adults were injured (burnt), while others were unhurt.”

She stated that the injured victims were taken to the state hospital, Ijebu-Ode for medical attention and the corpses were also deposited at the state hospital mortuary, Ijebu Ode.

The Sector Commander, Akinwumi Fasakin, advised motorists to ensure they have the maximum rest before embarking on a journey, he urged drivers to observe a 15 to 30 minutes rest after four hours driving.

US Representative James Hill (R-AR) has warned that the prolonged detention of Binance Executive Tigran Gambaryan in Nigeria could jeopardise bilateral relations between the two countries.

Hill made this known in a statement via his verified X handle on Tuesday.

He wrote, “I’m surprised Nigeria, a country considered a friend to America, is holding a US citizen in detention over a matter he’s not directly involved in. I urge President Biden to push harder for his release.”

Hill, who serves as Vice Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee and Chairman of the subcommittee overseeing digital assets and financial technology, emphasized Gambaryan’s contributions to combating cybercrime.

According to him, Tigran has helped America bust many cybercrime rings and It’s time to return the favour.

This comes as Gambaryan’s case continues to linger, with many calling for his immediate release.

Gambaryan has spent six months in detention, facing charges of tax evasion and other financial crimes in Nigeria.

However, this is not the first time Hill is making a strong case for Gambaryan, urging Biden’s government to put more effort towards getting him out of detention.

In June, Hill and another lawmaker Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, Democrat, representing Pennyslyvania, had called for the release of the Binance Executive.

The lawmakers said they called for his release due to the condition they met him in prison when they visited him.

“We have asked the U.S. embassy to advocate for the humanitarian release of Gambaryan because of the horrible conditions in the prison, his innocence and his health.

“We have a taskforce in Congress that is on Americans wrongfully detained abroad, or held hostage. Clearly in our view, Tigran fits in that camp,” Hill and Houlahan stated.

The National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, has confirmed the rescue of five persons and recovery of nine bodies from the boat accident that occurred on Sunday in Mashayar Yandaga River in Gummi Local Area of Zamfara State.

NEMA said that the boat involved in the incident was conveying over 40 passengers and crewmen when it capsized as a result of overload and high river currents.

In a statement on Tuesday in Abuja by the Head of the Press Unit, Manzo Ezekiel, the agency, said following the accident, rescuers, who were mostly local divers and fishermen, were mobilized.

While condoling with the government and people of Zamfara State over the incident, the Director General of NEMA, Mrs Zubaida Umar advised boat operators to adhere to safety measures in the conduct of their activities.

She added that other passengers consisting of men, women, and children were yet to be accounted for.

According to her, communities situated downstream along the river channel have been alerted to look out for bodies that may be floating to their location.

As search and rescue operations continue, NEMA said its Sokoto Operation Office, in conjunction with Zamfara State Emergency Agency, Gummi Local Government authorities, community leaders, the Red Cross, and other stakeholders, are involved in the operation and carried out an assessment of the disaster.

The Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, LASEPA, has unsealed Donald’s Fast Food (De-Angels Night Club) a restaurant in the Lekki area owned by nightlife businessman, Cubana Chiefpriest.

LASEPA earlier sealed the restaurant due to persistent noise pollution and other environmental infractions.

The Commissioner, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, in a post on Tuesday said that the business proprietor has signed an undertaking to stick to the environmental laws of the state.

Wahab wrote: “Following the seal-up of Donald’s Fast Food (De-Angels Night Club) in accordance with the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law 2017, Part VI Section 177 by the Lagos State government, the business proprietor has signed an undertaking to stick to the environmental laws of the State, promising to maintain the approved fast food business enterprise as against using the facility for any form of clubbing or partying as it is a residential area and state laws forbid it.

“Consequently, the Fast Food facility has been ordered unsealed.

“The Lagos State government continues to show commitment to ensuring safe environment for all Lagosians.”

A Catholic missionary priest working in Gambia, Fr Kelvin Ugwu, has urged people not to be carried away by the miracle testimonies they hear in churches or ministries.

The statement comes amid controversial videos of members of some churches sharing their extraordinary testimonies that have gone viral online, leaving many social media users skeptical.

In one of the videos an elderly woman claimed she was attacked by four armed robbers in the dream.

According to her, she “miraculously gained control of their guns and ensured the arrest of three of the robbers”.

Similarly, a man revealed that he survived kidnapping, machete attacks, and gunshot wounds “without injury”, sparking questions and concerns about the authenticity of the miracles.

However, the catholic priest stated that people should treat them as fake and lies as long as they have not been independently verified.

“Don’t be carried away by the miracle testimonies you hear in churches or ministries; as long as they have not been independently verified, treat them as fake and lies,” he wrote on his Facebook page on Monday.

American entertainment mogul Sean ‘Diddy Combs was arrested in Manhattan, New York City, on Monday evening after a grand jury handed down a sealed indictment, deciding there was enough evidence to charge him with a crime.

According to the New York Times, a source familiar with the case said Combs is facing serious charges related to racketeering and sex trafficking.

The charges remain undisclosed due to the sealed nature of the indictment.

Combs’s legal team disappointedly responded to the indictment, asserting that the 54-year-old had fully cooperated with authorities throughout the investigation.

In a statement, they revealed that Combs had voluntarily relocated to New York last week in anticipation of the charges. His defence emphasized his standing as a celebrated music icon, a successful entrepreneur, and a dedicated family man.

“Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is a music icon, self-made entrepreneur, loving family man, and proven philanthropist who has spent the last 30 years building an empire, adoring his children, and working to uplift the Black community,” his legal team stated. “He is an imperfect person, but he is not a criminal.”

The indictment represents a new chapter in a growing legal storm surrounding Combs, who has recently been embroiled in multiple sexual assault lawsuits, which have drawn renewed public and media scrutiny starting from last year November when his ex-girlfriend, Casandra Ventura, filed a lawsuit accusing him of years of sexual and physical abuse.

These civil allegations have already led to a series of high-profile professional setbacks for the music mogul.

The racketeering and sex trafficking charges, if confirmed, could carry devastating consequences for his decades-long legacy in the entertainment industry.

Combs, known by his stage names Puff Daddy and Diddy, is a Grammy Award-winning producer, rapper, and entrepreneur whose business ventures have ranged from music to fashion and liquor brands.

He is widely credited with shaping the careers of numerous artistes and revolutionising hip-hop culture.

While no trial date has been set, the indictment signals that federal prosecutors are moving forward with the case.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu reopened the rehabilitated Odo Iya Alaro (Ojota-Maryland link) bridge on Monday, marking a significant step toward easing persistent gridlocks in the area.

Mr Sanwo-Olu said the rehabilitation aligned with the administration’s commitment to ensuring adequate traffic management and ease of transportation.

The governor urged citizens to take responsibility for protecting the infrastructure.

Mr Sanwo-Olu warned against removing newly installed manhole covers, threatening prosecution for those caught doing so. He explained that the new manholes were made of fibre.

“The newly replaced manholes are now made of fibres and not metals, so this makes them useless to whoever takes them. Let the manholes be. They are there to protect human beings so that they do not fall off the bridge.

“They are there for safety. Anyone caught removing the manholes from the bridge will be prosecuted,” said the governor.

The governor commended stakeholders involved in the project’s early completion, which took 54 days instead of the planned 90 days.

Olufemi Daramola, the governor’s special adviser on infrastructure, explained that the rehabilitation included installing new expansion joints and remedial works, making the bridge motorable and ready for use.

“The project was completed ahead of schedule to ease the suffering of road users in the corridor,” stated Mr Daramola. “The rehabilitation of the Odo Iya Alaro Bridge is a significant step towards improving traffic management and transportation in Lagos state.”