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Trump Administration Releases Martin Luther King Jr Assassination Files
The Donald Trump administration on Monday released over 230,000 pages of previously classified documents related to the assassination of iconic civil rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr., nearly six decades after his death.
Despite the development being hailed as a significant step toward government transparency, surviving members of King’s family have expressed serious concerns over how the declassified records could be weaponised to tarnish their father’s legacy.
Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, announced the document release in a statement on Monday, noting that the files were published “with minimal redactions for privacy reasons.”
Gabbard said, “The American people have waited nearly sixty years to see the full scope of the federal government’s investigation into Dr King’s assassination.
“We are ensuring that no stone is left unturned in our mission to deliver complete transparency on this pivotal and tragic event in our nation’s history.”
The move follows an executive order signed by former President Donald Trump, which called for the declassification of files relating to the 1960s assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and Dr. King.
The National Archives had earlier released records on JFK’s assassination in March and those related to Robert F. Kennedy’s killing in April.
Naija News understands that King was assassinated in April 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee. James Earl Ray was convicted of the murder and sentenced to 99 years in prison. He died in 1998, but questions around the official narrative persist.
In a joint statement, King’s surviving children, Martin Luther King III and Bernice King, expressed their welcome to transparency but expressed concern about its implications.
They said, “We support transparency and historical accountability. However, we are deeply concerned that the release of these records may be exploited for attacks on our father’s legacy.”
They highlighted that Dr. King was subjected to “an invasive, predatory, and deeply disturbing disinformation and surveillance campaign” by the FBI under then-director J. Edgar Hoover.
The statement further stated, “These actions were not only invasions of privacy but intentional assaults on the truth. The FBI campaign was intended to discredit, dismantle and destroy Dr. King’s reputation and the broader American Civil Rights Movement.”
They urged the public and media to approach the newly released documents with sensitivity.
“We ask those who engage with the release of these files to do so with empathy, restraint, and respect for our family’s continuing grief,” the family pleaded.
King’s assassination has long been the subject of alternative theories and scepticism. Although Ray confessed to the murder, King’s children and many historians have maintained that there may have been a broader conspiracy involved.
The U.S. government has also been criticised over the years for its slow and piecemeal release of documents, especially those tied to the JFK and RFK assassinations.
The Warren Commission, which investigated President John F. Kennedy’s 1963 assassination, concluded that former Marine sharpshooter Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. Yet, this conclusion has not stemmed widespread speculation of a larger plot.
Similarly, Robert F. Kennedy, then a presidential hopeful and former attorney general, was gunned down in 1968. Sirhan Sirhan, a Palestinian-born Jordanian, was convicted and is currently serving a life sentence in California.
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Beautiful and Well Equipped Medical Health Centre Built by Atanda Lawal in Obalende/Ikoyi Local Government Area
This is what another local government chairman has done in Obalende with his own increased allocations paid directly to him.
This is the result of the new social reorder; place the money for development in the hands of the authorities closer to the everyday people.
Tinubu has done his own, and if you cannot ask your individual local authorities what they have done with their allocations, that is your own irresponsibility as a citizen.
Remember, the amount each of the 774 authorities receive is published every month for all eyes to see.
Grassroot developments have begun, and it will only get better with time.
No more na governor chop money.
Hold your governors and LG chairmen by the neck.
They must deliver EVERYTHING IS NOT TINUBU !!!
Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Yahaya, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the safety and welfare of National Youth Service Corps members posted to the state, assuring them of a peaceful and enabling environment throughout their service year.
Our correspondent reports that no fewer than 940 corps members took the oath of allegiance marking their formal admission into the mandatory three-week orientation course.
The governor made the pledge on Friday, during the formal swearing-in ceremony of the 2025 Batch ‘B’ Stream I corps members held at the NYSC Temporary Orientation Camp, Government Science Technical College, Amada, in Akko Local Government Area.
Represented by the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development / Chairman, NYSC State Governing Board, Inuwa Ibrahim welcomed the corps members to the “Jewel in the Savannah.
Governor Yahaya described Gombe as a “safe haven,” stressing that his administration places high priority on youth development, peace, and security.
“We guarantee a conducive working environment for your activities and programmes during your service year,” he said. “Let me assure you of our unwavering commitment to your welfare, security, and general well-being.”
The governor, who congratulated the new corps members on their successful academic journey and induction into national service, advised them to take the orientation course seriously, as it lays the foundation for a purposeful service year.
“The orientation course is designed to introduce you to the objectives of the NYSC. I urge you to participate actively and take advantage of the teachings and training to develop your potential,” he stated.
Yahaya encouraged the corps members to integrate into their host communities and contribute meaningfully to the socio-economic development of the state.
“As you serve in Gombe, I encourage you to be part of our developmental efforts and help in empowering the youth. Your predecessors left positive footprints, and it’s our collective responsibility to continue building on that legacy,” he added.
The governor also commended the NYSC scheme for promoting national unity over the past 50 years and appreciated partner agencies and stakeholders for their continued support of the scheme in the state.
He concluded by declaring the orientation course officially open and wished the corps members a fruitful, impactful, and incident-free service year.
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The National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives has called off its warning strike, the Minister of Health, Ali Pate, announced on Friday.
Speaking to journalists after a closed-door meeting in Abuja, Pate said the decision followed agreements reached between the government and the association’s leadership.
However, union leaders declined to speak to the press after the meeting.
Nurses and midwives under the association had begun a nationwide warning strike on July 29 over unmet demands, including improved welfare, fair allowances, and better working conditions in federal health institutions.
The strike, which affected public health institutions across the country, was scheduled to last until August 5.
The union’s National Chairman, Morakinyo Rilwan, had previously accused the Federal Government of failing to engage with the association during the 15-day ultimatum issued on July 14.
“As far as we are concerned, there has been no communication from the government to this moment. That is why we are saying the strike is going on, and nothing is stopping it.
“Even if the government calls today or tomorrow, it won’t stop the strike. They had enough time,” Rilwan had said.
The association is demanding an upward review of shift and uniform allowances, implementation of a separate salary structure for nurses, increased core duty allowance, mass employment of nurses, and the creation of a dedicated nursing department in the Federal Ministry of Health.
Rilwan had also said the decision to embark on the strike was driven by widespread frustration among members over years of neglect.
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