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US CONGRESSMAN ALLEGES USAID FUNDED BOKO HARAM, OTHER TERRORIST GROUPS UNDER OBAMA AND BIDEN ADMINISTRATIONS

US Congressman Scott Perry has made a shocking allegation that the US Agency for International Development (USAID) funded terrorist groups, including Boko Haram, under the administrations of former US Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden. Perry, a Republican representing Pennsylvania, made the claim during a hearing of the Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency, which focused on alleged misappropriations of taxpayer funds. Perry alleged that USAID funded various terrorist groups, including ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and Boko Haram, to the tune of $697 million annually. He also claimed that the agency spent $136 million to build 120 schools in Pakistan, but there was “zero evidence” of the schools’ construction. Perry questioned the effectiveness of USAID’s programs, including the Women’s Scholarship Endowment and Young Women Lead, which receive millions of dollars annually. “If you think that the program… is going to women who… are supposed to benefit from it, it is not,” Perry said. “You are paying for terrorism. This has got to end.” Perry’s allegations have sparked controversy, with some calling for greater transparency and accountability in USAID’s operations. US President Donald Trump has previously called for the closure of USAID, accusing the agency of corruption. Trump’s billionaire ally, Elon Musk, has also criticized USAID, alleging that it engages in rogue operations. Musk has vowed to shut down the agency, calling it “a viper’s nest of radical-left Marxists who hate America”.

TRUMP REVOKES BIDEN’S SECURITY CLEARANCE, ACCESS TO INTELLIGENCE BRIEFINGS

US President Donald Trump has revoked the security clearance and access to daily intelligence briefings of his predecessor, Joe Biden. Trump justified his decision, saying “there is no need for Joe Biden to continue receiving access to classified information.” He also added, “JOE, YOU’RE FIRED,” referencing his catchphrase from the reality TV show, The Apprentice. Trump claimed that Biden “set this precedent” in 2021 when he instructed the Intelligence Community to stop Trump from accessing national security information. Trump also cited a justice department inquiry into Biden’s storage of classified files, which concluded that Biden had a poor memory. Biden had previously stopped Trump from receiving classified intelligence briefings in 2021, citing Trump’s “erratic behavior.” Trump has since taken steps to revoke the security clearances and protections of other top officials linked to the Biden administration. Among those affected are former top US military commander Mark Milley, former chief medical adviser Anthony Fauci, and dozens of former intelligence officials. Trump has also ended security protection for his own former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former National Security Adviser John Bolton.

PRESIDENT TINUBU CONGRATULATES NIGERIAN SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS ON PRESIDENT BIDEN’S HONOURS LIST

President Bola Tinubu has congratulated six distinguished Diaspora Nigerians named by President Joe Biden among the 400 recipients of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) in the United States, as announced in a statement by Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy), Bayo Onanuga. The prestigious recognition, established by former President Bill Clinton in 1996, is the highest honour bestowed by the United States government on outstanding scientists and engineers in the early stages of their careers. This year’s awardees, announced by President Joe Biden on January 14, 2025, are employed or funded by 14 participating United States government agencies. The Nigerian honorees include Azeez Butali, Gilbert Lilly Endowed Professor of Diagnostic Sciences, College of Dentistry, University of Iowa; Ijeoma Opara, Associate Professor of Public Health (Social and Behavioral Sciences), Yale School of Public Health, Yale University; and Oluwatomi Akindele, Postdoctoral researcher at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Others are Eno Ebong, Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering, Bioengineering, and Biology at Northeastern University; Oluwasanmi Koyejo, Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Stanford University; and Abidemi Ajiboye, Executive Vice Chair of the Case School of Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University. President Tinubu commends these trailblazing Nigerians for their remarkable achievements in science, technology and engineering. Bayo Onanuga stated that the Nigerian leader notes that recognising these exceptional talents underscores Nigerians’ vast potential to excel both at home and on the global stage. Onanuga added that President Tinubu looks forward to the honorees sharing their multidisciplinary expertise to benefit Nigeria’s development efforts under the Renewed Hope Agenda. Bayo Onanuga concluded that President Tinubu’s administration is committed to harnessing the potential of Nigerian scientists and engineers to drive national development. As Onanuga noted, this recognition is a testament to the administration’s efforts to promote excellence in science, technology, and engineering.