Several members of Donald Trump’s incoming administration have received threats including bomb alerts, the FBI said Wednesday, with one nominee reporting a pipe-bomb scare sent with a pro-Palestinian message.

“The FBI is aware of numerous bomb threats and swatting incidents targeting incoming administration nominees and appointees, and we are working with our law enforcement partners,” the agency said in a statement.

Swatting refers to the practice in which police are summoned urgently to someone’s house under false pretenses. Such hoax calls are common in the United States and have seen numerous senior political figures targeted in recent years.

Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for Trump’s transition team, earlier said that several appointees and nominees “were targeted in violent, unAmerican threats to their lives and those who live with them.”

Elise Stefanik, a Trump loyalist congresswoman tapped to be UN ambassador, said her residence in New York was targeted in a bomb threat.

She said in a statement that she, her husband, and small son were driving home from Washington for the Thanksgiving holiday when they learned of the threat.

Lee Zeldin, Trump’s pick to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, said his home was targeted with a pipe bomb threat sent with a “pro-Palestinian themed message.”

The former congressman from New York said he and his family were not home at the time.

Fox News Digital quoted unidentified sources saying that John Ratcliffe, Trump’s nominee to head the CIA, and Pete Hegseth, the defense secretary pick, were also targeted.

Ahead of his return to the House in January, Trump has already swiftly assembled a cabinet of loyalists, including several criticized for a severe lack of experience.

The Republican, who appears set to avoid trial on criminal prosecutions related to attempts to overturn his 2020 election loss, was wounded in the ear in July in an assassination attempt during a campaign rally. The shooter was killed in counter-fire.

In September, authorities arrested another man accused of planning to shoot at Trump while he played golf at his course in West Palm Beach, Florida

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has officially relocated its headquarters to a new facility in Jahi, Abuja, marking a significant step in its transformation into a modern and result-oriented anti-narcotics organization.

The first phase of the new headquarters project was unveiled on Wednesday during an interdenominational service held at the complex. The event highlighted the progress made in the development of the facility, which is expected to be completed with the 2025 budgetary provisions.

Speaking at the ceremony, NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), described the move as a milestone in the agency’s modernization efforts that began in January 2021.

“I’m glad we have finally moved in to occupy this facility after initial budgetary constraints. Even though this is the first phase of the new headquarters project, we are hopeful that we will complete the process with next year’s budget,” Marwa said.

He acknowledged that while the new headquarters is not yet 100% complete, it is sufficiently functional to host critical operations.

“I was determined to move in before the end of 2024. With the expansion of the agency, the old headquarters could no longer accommodate our growing workforce. This relocation allows us to consolidate our operations for greater efficiency, effectiveness, and seamless coordination.”

Marwa added that the old office in Gimbiya, Garki, will now serve as the headquarters annex. He expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for his unwavering support of the agency’s mission to combat substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking in Nigeria.

“The support from international partners, local stakeholders, and especially President Tinubu, the National Assembly, and the Judiciary, motivates us to do more. I believe this new work environment will inspire the team to surpass past achievements,” Marwa stated.

He also commended his predecessor for initiating the headquarters project.

In his remarks, NDLEA Secretary Shadrach Haruna praised Marwa’s transformative leadership, noting that the agency had achieved significant milestones over the past three years.

“The commissioning of our headquarters today is part of the well-laid agenda for repositioning the NDLEA. Under the chairman’s leadership, the agency has increased its staff strength from 5,000 to 15,000, addressed outstanding promotions and allowances, supported widows of fallen officers, and witnessed the recent amendment of the NDLEA Act by the National Assembly,” Haruna said.

Christian and Islamic prayers were offered for President Tinubu and Nigeria, while a commemorative plaque was unveiled to mark the occasion.

The Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) Ltd in Rivers State has officially commenced crude oil processing, marking a significant milestone in Nigeria’s energy sector.

This development was announced on Tuesday by Femi Soneye, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).

“Today marks a monumental achievement for Nigeria as the Port Harcourt Refinery officially commences crude oil processing. This groundbreaking milestone signifies a new era of energy independence and economic growth for our nation,” Soneye stated.

He lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the NNPC Board, and the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) Mele Kyari for their dedication to the project.

“Hearty congratulations to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the NNPC Board, and the exceptional leadership of GCEO Mele Kyari for their unwavering commitment to this transformative project. Together, we are reshaping Nigeria’s energy future!”

Truck loading operations at the refinery are also set to begin immediately, Soneye added, while affirming that the NNPCL is working diligently to restore operations at the Warri Refinery in the near future.

End of a Series of Delays

This marks the end of a long series of missed deadlines for the refinery, located in Nigeria’s oil-rich Rivers State. Upon assuming office in August 2023, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, promised that the refinery would begin operations by September 2023.

However, this deadline was postponed to December 2023 and subsequently to April 2024.

Earlier this year, GCEO Mele Kyari reiterated NNPCL’s commitment to enhancing the nation’s refining capacity.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, and his entourage during an inspection tour of the rehabilitation work progress at the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) Ltd. plant, in Port Harcourt on Friday.

During an inspection of the PHRC in August 2024, Kyari stated, “We are focused on delivering this rehabilitation project, our two other refineries, and all other investments towards revamping the nation’s refining capacity. We are hopeful that in 2024, this country will be a net exporter of petroleum products.”

The Federal Government had approved $1.5 billion for the refinery’s rehabilitation in 2021. The facility, one of Nigeria’s largest, had been out of operation since 2019.

Boosting Domestic Refining Capacity

Nigeria, one of the world’s largest producers of crude oil, has long struggled with limited refining capacity, relying heavily on imports to meet domestic demand. This reliance has led to costly crude-for-fuel swaps and subsidies that drained foreign reserves.

The launch of the Port Harcourt Refinery follows the commissioning of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery earlier in 2024. The privately-owned refinery began producing petrol, diesel, and aviation fuel, providing a significant boost to Nigeria’s domestic refining capacity.

“These milestones,” Soneye said, “are expected to cushion the impacts of the removal of fuel subsidies, which had driven the price of petrol from N200 to over N1,000 per litre.”

Nigerians are hopeful that with both the Port Harcourt and Dangote refineries now operational, the nation’s energy sector will achieve greater stability, reduce dependency on imports, and lower the cost of petroleum products.