US President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday slammed what he called unfair fees for US ships passing through the Panama Canal and threatened to demand control of the waterway be returned to Washington.

He also hinted at China’s growing influence around the canal, a worrying trend for American interests as US businesses depend on the channel to move goods between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

Our Navy and Commerce have been treated in a very unfair and injudicious way. The fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous,” he said in a post on his Truth Social platform.

“This complete ‘rip-off’ of our Country will immediately stop.”

The Panama Canal, which was completed by the United States in 1914, was returned to the Central American country under a 1977 deal signed by Democratic president Jimmy Carter.

Panama took full control in 1999.

“It was solely for Panama to manage, not China, or anyone else,” Trump said. “We would and will NEVER let it fall into the wrong hands!”

He continued that if Panama could not ensure “the secure, efficient and reliable operation” of the channel, “then we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to us, in full, and without question.”

Authorities in Panama did not immediately react to Trump’s post.

Although he does not officially take office until next month, Trump has nevertheless been flexing his political influence in the waning days of President Joe Biden’s administration.

The real estate mogul boasted on the campaign trail that as an entrepreneur, he was uniquely positioned to fight for US business interests.

An estimated five percent of global maritime traffic passes through the Panama Canal, which allows ships traveling between Asia and the US East Coast to avoid the long, hazardous route around the southern tip of South America.

The main users of the passage are the United States, China, Japan and South Korea.

General Godwin Osagie Abbe, a former minister of Defence and former Military Administrator of Akwa Ibom is dead.

He was said to have died in Abuja on Saturday after a protracted sickness.

The retired major general, a member of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, was also Minister of Interior between July 26, 2007 and July 14, 2009 under the same administration of the late Yar’Adua.

An Alumnus of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife was born on Jan. 10, 1949, and would have attained the milestone of 75 years in 2025.

He was also a graduate of the United States Army Infantry School Fort Benning, Georgia, Ghana Armed Forces Staff College and the National Institute for Policy and Strategic studies, Kuru.

He became General Officer Commanding (GOC) 2 Division Nigerian Army; Commander, Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) and Commander, National War College. The late Abbe retired in 1999.

Meanwhile, Gov. Monday Okpebhbolo of Edo has mourned the late general, describing him as a legendary son of the state.

Okpebholo in a statement in Benin on Sunday by his Chief Press Secretary, Fred Itua, said as a revered military officer, administrator, and statesman, Abbe’s life was a testament to discipline, dedication, and service to the nation.

According to him, his illustrious career in the Nigerian Army was marked by numerous achievements.

The governor noted that, as a proud son of the state, Abbe’s distinguished service to the nation was a source of inspiration and pride.

“His tenure as Military Governor of Akwa Ibom State from 1988 to 1990, and later as Minister of Defence and Internal Affairs, demonstrated his exceptional leadership qualities and commitment to the well-being of the Nigerian people.

“General Godwin Osagie Abbe was a shining star whose light has been extinguished, but his legacy will continue to inspire and guide us.

“We celebrate his life, his service, and his contributions to our great nation.

“As we bid farewell to this remarkable individual, we reflect on the traditional and philosophical principles that guided his life and career.

“May his soul rest in peace, and may his legacy continue to illuminate the path to greatness for the people of Edo State and Nigeria as a whole,” he said.

Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike has ordered government hospitals to provide free treatment to the people that sustained injuries during a stampede at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, Abuja.

Wike gave the directive in a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Mr Lere Olayinka, in Abuja on Saturday.

No fewer than 10 people including children lost their lives while 10 others sustained injuries to the stampede, during the distribution of food items to less privileged and the elderly by the church.

The sad incident occurred around 6:30 a.m on Saturday.

Wike said that the FCT Administration would ensure that the injured received adequate medical attention.

The minister, who commiserated with the victims, also directed that henceforth, police permission should be obtained by individuals or organizations planning public distribution of palliatives, either food items or cash.

Describing the incident as “painful”, Wike prayed for the repose of the souls of the lives that were lost and fortitude for their families to bear the irreparable loss.

He commended the Police and other security agencies for their prompt intervention, saying, “the promptness in which security agencies responded to the incident was commendable.”

In a related development, the FCT Emergency Management Department (FEMD), equally commiserated with the victims of the stampede.

The acting Director General of the department, Mr Abdulrahman Mohammed, in a statement said that nine out of the 10 injured persons earlier taken to Maitama District Hospital, have been treated and discharged.

Mohammed also appealed to organisations that intended to give out food items to the less privileged to involve security agencies or FEMD for adequate planning to ensure safety of beneficiaries.

He also advised the use of coupons and segregation of the beneficiaries into groups to avoid crowd and rowdiness that could lead to stampedes.

Similarly, the Police Command in the FCT has ordered organisations, religious bodies, groups, or individuals to notify the police when planning public events, charitable activities, or large gatherings in the territory.

In a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer in the FCT, SP Josephine Adeh, said that the notification was to enable the police to deploy adequate security measures for public safety.

According to her, failure to comply with the directive will result in the organisers being held liable for any incident or loss of life resulting from negligence

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force has issued a warning against the unorganised distribution of palliatives and funfairs, which have led to stampedes and fatalities among vulnerable citizens.

The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, gave the warning during a media briefing on Saturday in Abuja.

Adejobi explained that the warning came in response to the increasing number of stampedes resulting in injuries and deaths, particularly during palliative distributions.