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Trump, Biden Shake Hands In White House, Vow Smooth Transfer
Donald Trump will make a triumphant return to the White House to meet President Joe Biden Wednesday, in the Republican’s first visit since departing under a torrent of scandal nearly four years ago.
Trump’s meeting with Biden comes as he moves swiftly to name his administration, including the world’s richest man Elon Musk as head of a new group aimed at slashing government spending.
Biden invited his sworn rival to meet in the Oval Office — despite the fact that 78-year-old Trump, who has consistently refused to admit his 2020 election loss, never afforded Biden the same courtesy.
Biden, 81, is expected to urge a smooth transition of power in the encounter at 11:00 am (1600 GMT) — and push for continued support for Ukraine.
“He believes in the norms. He believes in our institutions,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Tuesday when asked why Biden was inviting Trump.
“The American people deserve this. They deserve a peaceful transfer of power.”
However, in a break with protocol, Trump’s wife Melania “will not be attending today’s meeting at the White House,” her office said on X.
National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Biden would go over top foreign policy issues when he meets Trump — including US support for Ukraine against Russia, which Trump has indicated he will end.
The meeting may be a bitter pill to swallow for Biden, who branded Trump a threat to democracy.
The Republican leader of the House, Speaker Mike Johnson, said Trump may also visit the US Capitol, which a mob of his supporters stormed in 2021 to try to reverse his election loss.
Trump’s party looks set to take both chambers of Congress and consolidate his extraordinary comeback.
Tradition restored
Biden’s Oval Office invitation restores a presidential transition tradition that Trump tore up when he lost the 2020 election, refusing to sit down with Biden or even attend the inauguration.
Then-president Barack Obama had welcomed Trump to the White House when the tycoon won the 2016 election.
But by the time Trump took his last Marine One flight from the White House lawn on January 20, 2021, he had also been repudiated by many in his own party for having stoked the assault on the Capitol.
That period of disgrace soon evaporated, however, as Republicans returned to Trump’s side, recognizing his unique electoral power at the head of his right-wing movement.
Trump enters his second term with a near total grip on his party and the Democrats in disarray.
He has spent the week since the election at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida assembling his top team, as the world watches to see how closely he sticks to his pledges of isolationism, mass deportations and sweeping tariffs.
Trump named Space X, Tesla and X boss Musk, and another ally, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, to lead a “Department of Government Efficiency (‘DOGE’)” — a tongue-in-cheek reference to an internet meme and cryptocurrency.
Musk’s out-sized influence within the Trump camp was underlined by multiple US media reports that the entrepreneur was accompanying the incoming president to his meetings with the Republican Party on Wednesday.
Trump is moving quickly to fill out his administration, picking a host of ultra-loyalists.
Trump nominated Fox News host and army veteran Pete Hegseth as his incoming defense secretary. An outspoken opponent of so-called “woke” ideology in the armed forces, Hegseth has little experience similar to managing the mammoth US military budget and bureaucracy.
Trump named South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem — an ally who famously wrote about shooting her dog because it did not respond to training — as head of the Department of Homeland Security.
Florida Senator Marco Rubio is tipped for secretary of state, US media reported, while Trump has also confirmed Congressman Mike Waltz, a former special forces officer, as his national security advisor.
John Ratcliffe, another figure who became prominent for defending Trump during his scandal-plagued first term, was named to head the CIA.
AFP
News
Court Gives Falanas, January Date To Prove Case Against VDM
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
A Lagos High Court has adjourned the defamation suit brought by Femi Falana and his son against social media influencer, Vincent Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan, until January 23, 2025.
The case was brought by human rights activist Femi Falana and his son, Folarin, popularly known as Falz.
VeryDarkMan arrived in court dressed in a red native outfit, accompanied by fans who cheered him on, but the Falanas were not present.
The case could not proceed as several applications filed by the parties were still not included in the court file. As a result, the court decided to adjourn the hearing until January 23, 2025.
On October 14, Justice Matthias Dawodu ruled on an ex-parte application filed by the Falanas, granting them legal protection from defamation. The judge ordered that VeryDarkMan remove a defamatory video he posted on September 24, 2025, which targeted the senior lawyer and his son. Additionally, the court prohibited VeryDarkMan from posting or sharing any defamatory content about them on his social media accounts until the matter is resolved.
The Falanas had filed separate lawsuits seeking N500 million each in damages, claiming that VeryDarkMan posted a video accusing them of accepting N10 million from Idris Okuneye, also known as Bobrisky, to influence a legal matter.
They argued that VeryDarkMan knew the allegations were false but chose to spread them, causing harm to their reputations. The Falanas further pointed out that the video continues to circulate online, further damaging their reputations.
In response, VeryDarkMan applied to the court for permission to appeal the ruling.
He argued that refusing his request would be an injustice, as the case involves significant legal questions that require further examination. He stated, “A refusal to grant leave may result in the enforcement of a decision that does not reflect a correct application of the law, leading to outcomes that may be detrimental not only to the parties involved but also to the administration of justice as a whole. The appellate court’s role in clarifying and, where necessary, correcting trial court decisions is vital in maintaining the integrity of the judicial system.”
News
READ 8 Facts About New Lakurawa Terror Group in North West
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Lakurawa, a new terror group is now wreaking havoc in northwestern part of the country. It was once dismissed as harmless herders.
Initially seen as seasonal migrants, the Lakurawa group has evolved into a powerful militant force linked to jihadist networks in the Sahel.
With roots stretching back six years, Lakurawa has grown under the radar, exploiting Nigeria’s porous borders and limited government oversight.
Here’s what you need to know about this escalating threat and the challenges it poses to the region’s security.
From Herders to Terrorists
Originally seen as seasonal herders from Niger, the Lakurawa group quietly entered Sokoto communities in search of pasture, later gaining a reputation as militants with ties to jihadist networks across the Sahel.
Authorities’ Early Misjudgment
Locals first reported suspicious activities by Lakurawa herders nearly six years ago, but authorities dismissed them as non-violent. However, recent intelligence from Nigeria’s Defense Headquarters reclassifies Lakurawa as a new terror group with connections to extremist networks.
Cross-Border Threats
The Lakurawa exploit Nigeria’s porous borders with countries like Niger, Chad, and Mali, entering remote areas to promote radical ideology, often in Hausa and Fulfulde languages, and impose strict “Islamic” rules on communities.
Unusual Alliances
Invited by local leaders to fend off other bandits, Lakurawa quickly grew from an auxiliary force into a dominant presence, controlling communities through a mix of militant enforcement and religious influence.
Camp ‘Darul Islam’ in Forests
Lakurawa established camps around Gwangwano, Mulawa, Wassaniya, and Tunigara along the Nigeria-Niger border, naming them Darul Islam, or “Abode of Islam.” Their membership has since swelled to over 200 young men.
Escalation and Armed Attacks
Once tolerated by local communities, the group’s violent tendencies surfaced through alleged attacks on military bases and confrontations with Nigerian security forces, marking a shift to full-scale militancy.
Radical Ideology and Social Control
The group enforces stringent rules, often forbidding music and dancing, and collects levies disguised as religious Zakat. They pressure locals to obey these laws, maintaining authority over vulnerable communities.
A Growing Regional Concern
With ties to jihadist groups across the Sahel, Lakurawa’s presence reflects broader security challenges. The breakdown in joint border patrols after Niger’s recent coup has only worsened Nigeria’s exposure to such extremist threats.(PRNigeria)
News
It’s wrong to arrest individuals in place of suspects — Says PSC chairman
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Chairman of the Police Service Commission, DIG Hashimu Argungu (retd) has condemned the practice by Nigeria Police Force operatives of arresting individuals in place of actual suspects.
He also frowned at the handcuffing of suspects during arrests, adding that the law prohibits these practices.
A statement on Wednesday by the spokesperson for the commission, Ikechukwu Ani, said Argungu made this known
during training on international Human Rights-based policing and effective oversight of personnel of the Police Service Commission.
Ani said the PSC chairman stressed that every suspect must be accorded humane treatment and must not be subjected to any form of torture, cruelty, inhuman, or degrading treatment.
The statement read, “DIG Hashimu Argungu, x-rayed human treatment of arrested suspects and declared that a suspect shall be accorded human treatment, having regard to his right to the dignity of his person and not be subjected to any form of torture, cru
Argungu noted that a suspect shall not be arrested merely on a civil wrong or breach of contract and shall be brought before the court as prescribed by law or otherwise released conditionally or unconditionally.
He explained that “a person shall not for any reason be arrested in place of a suspect adding that the law prohibits the handcuffing or any other unnecessary restrain of an arrested person, except if there is reasonable apprehension of violence or an attempt to escape; the restrain is considered necessary for the safety of the suspect or defendant or by order of court.”
Ani added the PSC chairman also noted that all over the world, police officers generally have broad powers to carry out their functions and duties.
“He noted that the constitution as amended and other procedural laws, however, place limits on how far Police can go in trying to enforce the law.
“According to him, one of the primary purposes of these laws is to protect citizens from abuses by the government, including police misconduct,” the statement added
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