At least four people have been confirmed dead after a mass shooting at a child’s birthday party in California, while 10 others sustained injuries during the attack.

The incident occurred on Saturday evening at a restaurant in the northern California city of Stockton, where the celebration was taking place.

Police said the suspect fled the scene and remains at large, adding that early findings suggest the attack may have been “targeted”.

Local authorities reported that both adults and children were among the victims, though the conditions of the injured had yet to be confirmed at the time of filing this report.

The San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office said the shooting happened shortly before 18:00 local time (02:00 GMT Sunday). Spokesperson Heather Brent described the incident as “unfathomable”.

In a statement, the office said: “This is a very active and ongoing investigation, and information remains limited. Early indications suggest this may be a targeted incident, and investigators are exploring all possibilities.”

Reacting to the attack, Stockton’s Vice Mayor, Jason Lee, expressed shock on social media, stating: “I am devastated and angry to learn about the mass shooting at a child’s birthday party. A birthday party should never be a place where families fear for their lives.”

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has forwarded the names of 32 ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for confirmation, coming days after transmitting an initial batch of three nominees.

In two separate letters addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Tinubu requested the upper chamber to expedite consideration and confirmation of 15 nominees as career ambassadors and 17 nominees as non-career ambassadors.

The lists, as submitted to the Senate, are as follows:

Non-Career Ambassador Nominees (17)

Ogbonnaya Kalu (Abia)

Reno Omokri (Delta)

Mahmud Yakubu

Erelu Angela Adebayo

Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi

Tasiu Musa Maigari

Yakubu N. Gambo

Nora Ladi Daduut

Femi Pedro

Femi Fani-Kayode

Nkechi Linda Ufochukwu

Fatima Florence Ajimobi

Lola Akande

Grace Bent

Victor Okezie Ikpeazu

Senator Jimoh Ibrahim

Ambassador Paul Oga Adikwu

Career Ambassador / High Commissioner Nominees (15)

Enebechi Monica Okwuchukwu (Abia)

Yakubu Nyaku Danladi (Taraba)

Miamuna Ibrahim Besto (Adamawa)

Musa Musa Abubakar (Kebbi)

Syndoph Paebi Endoni (Bayelsa)

Chima Geoffrey Lioma David (Ebonyi)

Mopelola Adeola-Ibrahim (Ogun)

Abimbola Samuel Reuben (Ondo)

Yvonne Ehinosen Odumah (Edo)

Hamza Mohammed Salau (Niger)

Ambassador Shehu Barde (Katsina)

Ambassador Ahmed Mohammed Monguno (Borno)

Ambassador Muhammad Saidu Dahiru (Kaduna)

Ambassador Olatunji Ahmed Sulu Gambari (Kwara)

Ambassador Wahab Adekola Akande (Osun)

The lists include four women among the career nominees and six women among the non-career nominees.

The nominees, once confirmed, are expected to be assigned to countries where Nigeria maintains strategic bilateral ties, including China, India, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, South Africa, and Kenya, as well as Permanent Missions such as the United Nations, UNESCO and the African Union.

Last week, President Tinubu sent an initial list of three nominees to the Senate. Those nominees — Ambassador Ayodele Oke (Oyo), Ambassador Amin Mohammed Dalhatu (Jigawa), and Retired Colonel Lateef Kayode Are (Ogun) — are under consideration for postings to the United Kingdom, the United States or France.

President Tinubu has indicated that more ambassadorial nominees will be announced in due course.

President Bola Tinubu has approved the establishment of the National Tax Policy Implementation Committee (NTPIC), a new body tasked with overseeing the execution of the administration’s tax reforms.

The development was announced on Friday in a statement issued by Bayo Onanuga, the president’s special adviser on information and strategy. He said the committee is expected to drive the implementation of the government’s tax initiatives in alignment with the economic priorities of both the administration and the Nigerian people.

According to the statement, the NTPIC will coordinate and monitor ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening the national tax system, enhancing revenue mobilisation, and supporting broader economic objectives.

More to come…