In a shocking turn of events in Pennsylvania, United States, former President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was wounded in an assassination attempt during a campaign rally on Saturday.

The 78-year-old was injured in the right ear as gunshots rang out in Butler City, resulting in a chaotic scene that left one attendee and the suspected shooter dead, and two other spectators critically injured.

Trump, who was on stage addressing his supporters, was suddenly rushed off with blood streaking down his face. Despite the injury, he managed to raise a defiant fist to the crowd, later stating, “I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) quickly classified the shooting as an assassination attempt.

The FBI identified the shooter as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, who was “neutralized” by Secret Service agents after firing multiple shots from an elevated position outside the rally. The US Secret Service confirmed that Crooks had fired toward the stage before being stopped.

President Joe Biden swiftly condemned the attack, calling for unity against political violence. “Everybody must condemn the suspected assassination attempt against Trump. We cannot allow this to be happening,” Biden said, noting the unprecedented nature of such violence.

Cutting short his weekend trip to Delaware, Biden returned to Washington, DC, for a security briefing. “I’m grateful to hear that he’s safe and doing well. Jill and I are grateful to the Secret Service for getting him to safety. There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it,” he added.

Staged?

American actress Amanda Seales and several others believe the assassination attempt was staged.

“That sh*# was more staged than a Tyler Perry production of Madea Runs for President.

“I lived in Harlem long enough to know gunshots do not sound like making popcorn on the stove,” she said.

Another person named Jane Eire said “It looks very staged. Sounded like a BB gun. Nobody in the crowd is running or panicking. Nobody in that crowd heard an actual gun. I don’t trust it. I don’t trust him.”

Fueling this belief is the observed abnormal lapses in security. Many claimed that the Secret Service ignored warnings and signs of danger minutes before the shooting.

“Actively communicating with a number of former colleagues from the Secret Service about the assassination attempt,” Dan Bongino, a former member of the Secret Service noted.

“This is an obviously catastrophic failure and NO excuses should be made, or even attempted. The failures are profound and questions must be answered about ground surveillance, air surveillance, post-stander support, and counter-sniper advance work and response.

“We have ONE job, and we came within inches of a deadly failure today. An uneventful failure is NOT a success.”

An eye-witness said he saw the suspect climb on top of a nearby structure outside the event and notified the police who didn’t take action.

“The guy army crawled up the building 50 feet from us… he had a rifle.

“He’s crawling! I’m thinking, why is Trump still speaking!

“I’m sitting there pointing at him for two or three minutes!

“I am 100% certain…,” he said.

In addition, another person observer noted: “They left the roof wide open. Secret Service snipers had eyes on the shooter. People were screaming about a man on the roof with a gun. But Secret Service waited. They waited for him to take the shots. Then they killed the shooter. It was a setup. And he wasn’t supposed to miss.”

The former president has been convicted on all counts related to criminal charges stemming from his relationship with porn actor Stormy Daniels. Trump was accused of paying “hush money” to conceal an affair, making him the first U.S. president to be convicted of a felony. However, his supporters believe the Republican presidential candidate was being targeted, triggering a massive donation to his campaign.

This backdrop has fueled the belief that the recent assassination attempt on Trump was staged to garner public sympathy.

However, following the shooting incident, several prominent Americans have come out publicly to endorse Trump’s presidential ambition.

“I was voting for Trump, but had doubts about him this go round. No more. He left telling us to fight. He was SHOT and was telling us to fight. Thank God he is alive. I will crawl over broken glass and through fire to get him elected,” Tracy Beanz, Editor-in-Chief of Uncover DC wrote.

Entrepreneur and owner of social media platform X, Elon Musk, who has been Right-leaning since the beginning of the current election cycle, publicly endorsed Trump.

“I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery,” he said.

Trump is running for a second term about four years after his first term ended in chaos.

Speaker Mike Johnson said the House will conduct a full investigation of the tragic events today.

“The American people deserve to know the truth. We will have Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle and other appropriate officials from DHS and the FBI appear for a hearing before our committees ASAP,” he said.

Many have blamed the incident on the prevalence of assault rifles, which they said, has been backed by the Republicans led by Trump himself.

On Saturday, Biden in a post, accused Trump of supporting the unchecked use of assault weapons.

“I want to ban assault weapons and require universal background checks. Trump promised the NRA that he’d do nothing about guns. And he means it,” he said.

Trump was on his way to the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee after he was reported to have had a precautionary hospital checkup.

In a recent media parley, Aliko Dangote, the Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Refinery, announced a significant shift in the ownership and operational strategies of the $19 billion refinery. He revealed that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited no longer holds a 20% stake in the refinery.

Dangote disclosed that due to NNPC’s failure to fulfill its financial obligations, its stake in the refinery has been reduced from the initially agreed 20% to a mere 7.2%.

“The agreement was actually 20% which we had with NNPC and they did not pay the balance of the money up till last year. We gave them another extension up till June 2024, but they declined to proceed beyond the 7.2% stake,” Dangote explained.

This statement came as a surprise to many Nigerians, who had been led to believe by the government that it maintained a 20% stake in the refinery.

The Nigerian state oil company’s Group Managing Director, Mele Kyari, had previously justified the stake acquisition by disclosing the profit potential of the refinery business and its strategic importance for Nigeria’s energy security.

Earlier this year, reports indicated that NNPC had planned to raise $2.76 billion to finance its 20% stake in the refinery. According to the 2022 audited financial statements of NNPC Ltd, the company had acquired this stake through a $1.036 billion funding arrangement from Lekki Refinery Funding Limited, with $1 billion paid directly to Dangote Refinery and $36 million allocated for transaction costs.

The state-owned company pledged 35,000 barrels of crude oil per day (bpd) as repayment for the loan.

However, Dangote revealed that NNPC only managed to secure a 7.2% stake, failing to meet the financial obligations required for the full 20% share. This shortfall has significantly impacted the refinery’s operations, particularly its crude oil supply chain.

Located in the Lekki Free Zone, Lagos, the Dangote Refinery is noted as Africa’s largest oil refinery and the world’s biggest single-train facility. With a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day (bpd), the refinery aims to significantly boost Nigeria’s refining capabilities and reduce its dependency on imported petroleum products.

Besides the supply of petroleum products, the refinery is expected to generate 9,500 direct jobs and an additional 25,000 indirect jobs, providing a substantial economic boost to the region.

Once fully operational, it will produce approximately 50 million liters of petrol and 15 million liters of diesel daily, amounting to 10.4 million tons of petroleum products annually. Additionally, it will yield 4.6 million tons of diesel and 4 million tons of jet fuel per year.

However, one of the critical challenges faced by Dangote Refinery has been securing a consistent supply of crude oil. Dangote confirmed that due to NNPC’s inability to provide the promised crude, the refinery has had to source crude oil from international markets, including the United States and Brazil.

The 20% NNPC’s stake in the refinery was expected to secure the nation a place in the massive oil project, to ensure energy security and economic stability. However, the failure to meet these commitments has led to a reduction in NNPC’s stake, forcing Dangote Refinery to look abroad for crude supplies, further delaying the refinery’s operational timeline.

Despite these setbacks, Dangote remains optimistic about the refinery’s future. He announced that the refinery is set to begin fuel production by August 2024, having resolved its crude oil supply issues with the help of NNPC and the federal government.

In the context of Nigeria’s economic landscape, Okomu Oil Plc recent success in the agricultural sector serves as a beacon of hope for economic diversification away from the traditional oil-dependent revenue streams. Historically reliant on oil for economic growth, Nigeria has faced challenges due to the volatility of oil prices and limited avenues for sustainable development.

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Looking ahead, sustained investment and innovation in the agricultural sector are crucial for driving continued economic growth, job creation, and enhanced food security in Nigeria. By monitoring global market trends and adapting to changing consumer preferences while exploring sustainable practices and agribusiness investment opportunities, Nigeria can pave the way towards inclusive growth that empowers local producers while contributing significantly to national prosperity.

Yet, while acknowledging the success of Okomu Oil Plc in the agricultural sector, it is essential to recognize that this success may not be universally applicable across Nigeria’s diverse agricultural landscape. Indeed, a more holistic approach that integrates economic prosperity with social responsibility and environmental stewardship is crucial for ensuring a resilient and inclusive agricultural sector that benefits all stakeholders involved.

I am so proud of what Vetsark, a Nigerian agtech company, has achieved. I am also proud of what Winich Farms has accomplished. These two Tekedia Capital portfolio companies have validated our thesis that agriculture has immense opportunities in Nigeria. We will continue to invest in the Nigerian agriculture sector and do hope that the NGX will conclude on its NGX Tech Board protocol as we have many candidates waiting.

Okomu Oil Plc, a Nigerian company, has demonstrated significant success in the agricultural sector, showcasing the potential for wealth creation through agriculture in Nigeria. The company’s market value has been on the rise, surpassing market index performance, with notable financial growth.