By David Torough, Abuja

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Gboko Chapter, on Tuesday held a special prayer session in support of the aspiration of Hon. Emmanuel Agune, candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), to represent the people of Gboko/Tarka Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives in Abuja.

Speaking during the event, Rev.

Aule Aluamu said the association would mobilize and sensitize members of the constituency to ensure victory for Agune, whom he described as a committed member of the Christian community.

In his response, Agune expressed gratitude to the association for what he called a noble initiative aimed at committing his 2027 ambition into the hands of God.

He assured the gathering that if elected into the National Assembly, he would ensure that CAN is carried along in development and intervention programmes, acknowledging the role the Christian body has played in his life over the years.

Agune also reflected on his humble beginnings as a carpenter, noting that his life’s mission has always been to support the less privileged in society.

He cited his involvement in scholarship schemes, healthcare support, community projects and human capacity development programmes as evidence of his commitment to service.

The SDP House of Representatives hopeful pledged to expand such interventions if given the mandate to serve at the National Assembly.

As part of his engagements, Agune also paid a courtesy visit to the Gboko Women Integrative Group led by Mrs. Bridget Jir, where he reportedly received strong endorsements and prayers for his political ambition.

A suspect who shot at a White House checkpoint was killed in an exchange of fire with Secret Service agents on Saturday evening, officials have confirmed.

US President Donald Trump thanked the officers for their “Swift and professional action” in apprehending the gunman, who he said in a Truth Social post had a “violent history and possible obsession with our Country’s most cherished structure”.

The shooting comes only a month after a gunman opened fire at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

The incident on Saturday remains under investigation.

Shortly before 18:00 local time (23:00 GMT), a man pulled a gun from his bag and “began firing” outside the White House at the intersection of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington DC, near the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.

Secret Service officers posted on the corner returned fire, striking the gunman. He was then taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

A bystander was also wounded in the shooting, but the Secret Service did not give further details on their condition. No officers were injured in the attack.

Trump was at the White House at the time, but “No protectees or operations were impacted”, the agency said.

The suspect was later identified in US media as Best, who had been known to both the Secret Service and the Metropolitan Police Department and had used a revolver, law enforcement sources told CBS.

A source familiar with the investigation said that Best had attempted to gain entry to the White House in July 2025 and had been arrested by officers nearby, after which he spent time at a psychiatric facility. He had been living in Washington DC for 18 months.

“Thank you to our great Secret Service and Law Enforcement for the swift and professional action taken this evening against a gunman near the White House,” Trump wrote on social media.

Noting that the shooting had occurred since the White House Correspondents’ Dinner was disrupted by a different shooter, he said it showed how important it was “for all future Presidents, to get, what will be, the most safe and secure space of its kind ever built in Washington” – a reference to his planned White House ballroom.

After shots were heard, reporters at the White House were rushed into a briefing room. Some had been filming when the incident occurred and shots could be heard in the distance as they spoke to camera.

Once inside, he said reporters were locked down in the press briefing room for around 30 minutes. Outside, they saw Secret Service officers and then, just beyond the grounds, they eventually saw ambulances.

Navarro said it was unclear exactly where Trump was inside the White House when the shooting took place and “whether he even heard it, as it was a good distance [away]”.

He said the shooting took place in a busy area with a cafe and restaurants, but that it was not as busy as it could have been since the shooting occurred on a weekend evening.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson praised the Secret Service for their “decisive action” in responding to the shooting.

Thune wrote on social media that he was “Grateful” for their efforts, while Johnson said on X: “Our prayers are with the victims of tonight’s senseless shooting for a speedy recovery.”

Egypt’s Natural Gas Vehicles Company (Cargas) has launched ambitious plans to explore expansion opportunities into the Nigerian market and participate in national initiatives aimed at expanding

Compressed natural gas (CNG) utilization and “Transferring the company’s expertise and pioneering experience in this field,”

Egypts Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources (MoPMR), announced the plan after a team from Cargas visited Nigeria.

The visit comes in line with the directives of Karim Badawi, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, to strengthen regional and international cooperation and to open new horizons for Egyptian petroleum sector companies in the African markets.

During the visit, Ekperikpe Ekpo, Nigerian Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), received Mohamed Fouad, Egypt’s Ambassador to Nigeria, alongside the Cargas delegation to formulate mechanisms for enhancing bilateral cooperation in natural gas applications, focusing heavily on CNG deployment in the transportation sector.

Ekpo noted that achieving the ambitious milestones of Nigeria’s presidential initiative to expand CNG utilization requires building robust partnerships and exchanging technical and operational know-how. Furthermore, the minister praised Egypt’s sustained success in converting vehicles to run on natural gas and valued the readiness of the Egyptian government and Cargas to support the Nigerian market through essential technology transfers, according to the statement.

In line with these strategic objectives, the Cargas delegation held a series of intensive meetings with multiple regulatory bodies and institutions supervising Nigeria’s energy and transportation sectors.

These include the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), and the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).

The sessions produced initial plans for retail station infrastructure, CNG conversion centers, local component manufacturing, and training programs to support natural gas integration across transport networks

Founded in 1995 as Egypt’s first dedicated CNG automotive company, Cargas held a 41 per cent share of the market in 2025, supported by a nationwide network of 56 conversion and maintenance centers.