The Pacesetter Frontier Magazine

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  • Court Okays Requests For Witnesses To Testify Behind Screens in Kanu’s Trial

    Court Okays Requests For Witnesses To Testify Behind Screens in Kanu’s Trial

    The trial of the embattled leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has resumed on Tuesday at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

    The court, led by Justice James Omotosho, granted the request of the Federal Government for witnesses to testify behind screens.

    At the resumed hearing, the Defence Counsel, led by Kanu Agabi, told the court that he had 22 members on his team. The judge, however, said he wouldn’t approve more than the 13 he had listed.

    Four senior advocates have joined the defence team, namely: Audu Nunghe, Joseph Akubo, Emeka Etiaba and Onyechi Ikpeazu.

    The counsel to the Federal Government, Adegboyega Awolowo, told the court that they had earlier filed an ex parte application for the witnesses to testify behind screens due to the nature of the case and for security reasons.

    The witness named AAA is an officer of the Department of State Services (DSS) who has served for 18 years.

    Testifying behind a screen, he told the court that on 14th October 2015, he was assigned with some team members to arrest Kanu at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Lagos.

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    Kanu was taken to the DSS command in Lagos, and the items from his room were listed; and the defendant countersigned the list.

    AAA said he led the team that arrested Kanu at the Golden Tulip Hotel, Lagos International Airport on October 14, 2015.

    When they got to the Golden Tulip, the receptionist said Nnamdi Kanu was not a guest there. They showed the DSS their guest manifest for several months, and his name was not there. So the DSS got an order from their director to conduct a room-to-room search of the hotel.

    They found Nnamdi Kanu in room 303 with a young lady, Maria Ibezimakor.

    Kanu initially resisted arrest and exhibited violent actions as head butted a DSS officer named Bolaji.

    The room where Kanu was arrested looked like a broadcasting studio, according to the DSS, as there were all manner of broadcasting equipment there were ready to use.

    They arrested him around 11 pm.

    They packed all the equipment to the DSS office in Lagos, listed them, and Kanu attested that the equipment was his and they were complete.

    AAA was shown the list, and he identified it, the list was tendered in evidence and was admitted.

    The witness also said they interrogated Kanu the next day in their office, and the interrogation was recorded.

    He was shown a CD plate which he identified as the recording of the interrogation. The CD plate was admitted as evidence and was played in open court.

    In it, Kanu identified himself and answered questions as he was being asked by a DSS officer.

    He said he was in the struggle to make life better for people, that people would wake up in the morning and feel good about their lives.

    He attested to the fact that he set up Radio Biafra, and that he is a communication engineer.

    He said while he was in Nigeria, Radio Biafra London was being managed by a colleague of his, Uche Mefor.

    He added that Radio Biafra has officers in the US, Russia, Italy, Sweden, etc. They have no single staff member in Nigeria, as many people who listen to the radio also help in propagating it.

    He said he did not have a license to operate a radio in Nigeria, stressing that he knows operating a radio station without a license is a crime, and if he applied, they wouldn’t give him.

    In Kanu’s statement, he admitted fighting for the emancipation of the people of South East, South South and parts of Benue and Kogi.

    He clarified that freedom fighting is not a crime in any part of the world, including Nigeria because it is a fundamental right.

    Kanu emphasised that he believes in the freedom of speech and that the UN Charter on people’s right guarantees the right to self-determination.

    He claimed not to be involved in any violence because he has not been linked to any one. Channels TV

  • Mixed Reactions Trail Death Sentence on Gospel Singer Osinachi’s Husband 

    Mixed Reactions Trail Death Sentence on Gospel Singer Osinachi’s Husband 

    Reactions have continued to trail the judgement of a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) sentencing Peter Nwachukwu, husband of the late gospel singer Osinachi Nwachukwu, to death by hanging.

    Taking to X (formerly Twitter), @RazakMakinde wrote “Finally justice for Osinachi”.

    Another X user, @Mrklassiq_3h queried the concept of Justice, noting that the children of the late singer will be left without parents.

    “This justice get as e be, will the children live their lives without no parents?”, he wrote.

    Karigwe Ifemelunma posted, “All those pastors that advised the woman to stay in the marriage should be sentenced as accomplices”.

    Recall that a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), on Monday, sentenced Peter Nwachukwu, husband of the late gospel singer Osinachi Nwachukwu, to death by hanging.

    Justice Njideka Nwosu-Iheme ruled that the prosecution successfully proved its case against Nwachukwu, who was convicted of culpable homicide leading to his wife’s death on April 8, 2022.

    Nwachukwu was first arraigned on June 3, 2022, by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation on behalf of the Federal Government. He faced a 23-count charge, which included culpable homicide punishable by death, criminal intimidation, cruelty to children, and spousal battery, among others.

    During the trial, the prosecution called 17 witnesses, including two of the couple’s children, who testified as the fourth and fifth witnesses. In addition, the prosecution submitted 25 documents as evidence before the court.

    In his defence, Nwachukwu testified personally, presented four other witnesses, and tendered four exhibits.

    Before the sentencing, Nwachukwu’s lawyer, Reginald Nwali, pleaded with the court for leniency. However, the prosecution counsel, Mrs. Aderonke Imala, urged the court to apply the full weight of the law.

    Justice Nwosu-Iheme sentenced Nwachukwu to death by hanging on Count 1 (culpable homicide). He was also sentenced to two years’ imprisonment each on Counts 2, 3, 8, 9, 12, 13, and 18.

    He received a six-month prison term for Count 10 and three years’ imprisonment for Count 11.

    Additionally, he was fined ₦500,000 and ₦200,000 on Counts 6 and 7, respectively.

  • “My special interest in education driven by deep purpose, not politics” – Gov. Mbah

    “My special interest in education driven by deep purpose, not politics” – Gov. Mbah

    …As University of East London Alumni hails Mbah’s performance, pledges collaboration

    Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, says his special interest in education is driven by purpose, not politics, noting that Enugu is on the cusp of renaissance, given the transformational promises of the Smart Green Schools initiated by his administration.

    Mbah also maintained that the consistent allocation of about one-third of the state’s annual budget to education by his administration underscored his belief that education is the gamechanger for any society.

    This was even as the University of East London (UEL) Alumni Network, lauded him for what it described as his outstanding performance as a governor, pledging to collaborate towards the actualisation of his ambitious visions for the state.

    The governor spoke in Enugu on Monday during the inauguration of the UEL Alumni Network Nigeria, of which he is a member, and when he received the leadership of the alumni in his office earlier in the day.

    Delivering the keynote address at the event, which the group themed “Reshaping Nigeria’s Future: The Role of Alumni in Education, Governance, and Security,” Mbah said, “My special interest in education is not happenstance. It is driven by a deep purpose, not politics – or any quest for acclaim.

    “The interest is fuelled in part by the story of a young boy from a rural community, as far removed from the trappings of modernity as you can imagine.

    “Despite an early hint of brilliance, his academic ambitions were largely limited by the humbling circumstances of his parents’ income.

    “He had an insatiable hunger for education and would run to school barefoot, desperate to learn.

    “When told he wasn’t old enough to be enrolled, he refused to accept that answer. He begged his way into the classroom, driven by a relentless desire to learn.

    “That tenacity was the spark that ignited his journey.

    “That young lad is standing right before you this afternoon as a testament to the power of education – and a strong advocate for why the doors of education should be open to every child.”

    The governor, who bagged a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) degree, Upper-Class Division, at UEL in 2000, and was also elected twice as President of UEL Law Society, noted that the university helped to reinforce and shape his life of service.

    He charged the UEL Alumni Network Nigeria to rise to the challenge of reshaping Nigeria’s educational system in order to rescue the nation’s future.

    “Alumni associations should increasingly galvanise action towards the creation of more endowments and grants. These are vital resources that have sustained universities and fed their independence.

    “As universities in the United States experience fundamental changes that ultimately demand an end to the hallowed principles of diversity, equity and inclusion, the few that won’t budge are largely buoyed by the immense financial support of their alumni base.

    “We cannot foretell the future. But we can take actions that could make the future look like what we dream it would be. Put simply, nothing empowers like education.

    “To reshape Nigeria’s future, we need to understand that our future is inextricably linked to the quality of our education.

    “This is why education has consistently received one-third of our total annual budget,” he stated.

    Speaking at the event, President of the UEL Alumni Network Nigeria, Prof Issa Abduraheem, described Mbah as a great ambassador of the university. He cited Mbah’s trailblazing performance across all sectors and pledged the Alumni’s total support.

    “There are developments in the education sector. The Smart Green School initiative, which is technologically driven, is in tandem with the vision of the Alumni. We are ready and willing to collaborate with the state government towards the actualisation of this noble project.

    “Digitising of the whole state by running an E-Government system and digitising the ministry of lands to ENGIS (Enugu State Geographic Information System) and also running of smart buses, tax collections are also done digitally in the state,” he stated.

    Vice President (Engagement) and Chief Marketing Officer of the University, Vanessa Varvas, in her virtual address, equally emphasised the place of education and alumni associations in shaping a nation’s future.

    Highpoints of the event included the presentation of a plaque of recognition to Governor Mbah as the Grand Patron of the Nigerian chapter of UEL Alumni Network.

  • Enugu Reps Caucus Backs Concessioning of Enugu Airport

    Enugu Reps Caucus Backs Concessioning of Enugu Airport

    The Enugu State Caucus in the House of Representatives has thrown its weight behind the federal government’s plan to concession the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, describing it as a potential catalyst for the South East economy.

    The caucus commended the federal government for the initiative and urged it to hasten the concession process to enable the people of the South East and the nation to benefit from it in earnest.

    It equally called on the people of the region to support the concessioning as the only way to guarantee sustainable investment to fully develop the airport into a truly international facility.

    The caucus made its position known in a statement signed and issued on Monday by the caucus leader, Hon. Nnolim Nnaji, as well as Hon. Martins Oke, Hon. Dennis Agbo, Hon. Anayo Onwuegbu, Hon. Chimaobi Atu, Hon. Sunday Umeha, Hon. Paul Nnamchi, and Hon. Mark Obetta. These are the representatives of all the eight federal constituencies in Enugu State.

    “Due to poor capital investment, the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, AIIA, Enugu, remains partially completed and indeed an international airport only in name over two decades since it was designated as such by the federal government. Critical components such as cargo terminal, runway, international terminal, among others, are either non-existent or requiring completion or upgrade.

    “Businesses and the people of the South East especially have borne the brunt of these inadequacies, which manifest in the paucity of international flights and intermittent closure of the airport for repair of the runway, as recently witnessed.

    “Therefore, we believe that the concessioning of the airport, as currently being processed by the federal government, is the only realistic approach to attracting adequate resources to build the requisite infrastructure and expand existing ones to place AIIA in the league of other international airports around the world,” the caucus said.

    The statement explained that concessioning was not the same thing as privatisation or sale of the airport as being peddled by some persons, but a well-known and tenured to Public-Private Partnership (PPP) framework, which pulls private capital investment into public infrastructure while government retains ownership and regulatory or supervisory authority.

    “We call on the federal government to hasten this process, as the people of the South East region in particular and Nigeria in general to start benefiting from the huge possibilities and blessings it holds.

    “Indeed, we also have faith in federal government through the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria and the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development to entrust AIIA to a concessionaire with the financial and technical prowess, strong international pedigree and reputation as well as antecedent of verifiable successes to actualise the target, as nothing less can be acceptable and capable of catalysing the much-needed South East regional economic prosperity and transformation,” the statement added.

  • Tinubu’s Reforms Restoring Investor Confidence, Stabilising FX Market – Edun

    Tinubu’s Reforms Restoring Investor Confidence, Stabilising FX Market – Edun

    The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, have declared that President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms have restored the confidence of investors in the Nigerian economy and stabilised foreign exchange (FX) market.

    While stressing that the federal government’s target was to reduce the inflation rate to a single digit and protect the people’s purchasing power, Edun and Cardoso hailed Nigerians for their resilience, admitting that though it had been tough, the reforms were yielding positive results.

    Meanwhile, Vice President Kashim Shettima has clamoured for stronger international collaboration to advance Nigeria’s Human Capital Development (HCD) strategy, stressing President Tinubu’s administration’s commitment to position human potential at the heart of national development.

    Edun and Cardoso reiterated that Nigeria’s economy had weathered its most turbulent storms but is now firmly on a path toward growth and stability.

    Speaking yesterday at a joint media briefing on the last day of the 2025 International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington D.C., the finance minister and the CBN governor presented a bullish outlook for the country’s economy.

    They highlighted the macroeconomic reforms, which have improved investor confidence, and expressed optimism for an ambitious growth target of seven per cent.

    Edun confirmed that critical economic indicators were now trending positively, noting a clear break from the precarious conditions that existed a few years ago.

    Edun added: “Nigeria’s reform efforts are strongly appreciated by the international community as the most credible way to economic prosperity. In fact, the US State Department described Nigeria’s reforms as an economic miracle.

    “Nigeria is economically, financially, in a much better place than it was just a couple of years ago. Inflation is coming down; the exchange rate is stabilising; food prices are easing, and the fundamentals are much stronger,” Edun said.

    However, he noted that growth must be accelerated to lift millions of Nigerians out of poverty.

    “Unless we get to about seven per cent growth, we are not going to substantially reduce poverty and improve the life of Nigerians. That is the target and commitment of this administration.”

    He noted that currently, Nigeria’s economy was growing at an average of 3.4 per cent in 2024, with the most recent quarterly figure recorded at 3.84 per cent.

    Edun outlined key strategies to bridge the growth gap, including boosting agricultural productivity, expanding digital infrastructure, supporting entrepreneurship, and enhancing access to finance across all sectors.

    Tinubu’s administration, he revealed, was also pivoting away from dependence on concessional and commercial external funding towards aggressive domestic revenue mobilisation.

    “The objective is to create jobs locally, empower youths, and support them through essential infrastructure.

    “The focus now is on domestic revenue mobilisation.

    “The focus is on crowding in the private sector so that they can come in and invest across the board: infrastructure, digital, toll roads.”

    He explained that the imminent passage of key tax reform bills would significantly increase Nigeria’s tax-to-GDP ratio, improving the federal government’s revenue base.

    “They can probably tell you better than I, but I think the imminent passing of that tax reform bill is on the horizon, and once it is passed, it does have in it the potential for increasing tax revenues that are earned by the government,” Edun said.

    The minister stressed that the private sector must be the engine of sustained growth and job creation.

    According to him, with macroeconomic stability returning and investor confidence rebounding, Nigeria appears poised, if reforms stay on course, to realise its long-elusive dream of inclusive, broad-based prosperity.

    “We have turned the corner. It is now time for every Nigerian to contribute towards building a stronger, more prosperous economy,” Edun added.

    On his part, Cardoso noted that the reforms undertaken in the last 18 months, have strengthened monetary buffers and stabilised the foreign exchange market.

    Cardoso said: “We are custodians of stability. Our role is to ensure that people can plan without suffering the shocks of internal or external disruptions. This is not the time to be cynical. If we do not recognise and take advantage of our opportunities, others will.

    “Capital moves to where the environment is enabling, it’s not the time to be cynical. It’s time for us to look to the future. With every confidence that we will get out of any problem that we are faced with,” he added.

    Cardoso noted that Nigeria’s resilience amid recent external shocks had earned international respect.

    “It has taken a lot of coordination between the fiscal and the monetary, learning from mistakes, being bold enough to look at other means of doing certain things to get better results, and now we are here at a time where the international community is asking others to learn from what Nigeria has been able to accomplish.

    “Indeed, the macroeconomic stability we are beginning to see today would not have been possible without these decisive actions,” he stated.

    “Our policy stance is firmly focused on bringing inflation down to single digits in a sustainable manner over the medium term. Our goal is to restore price stability, protect household purchasing power, and lay the foundation for long-term investment.”

    The CBN governor further disclosed that the gap between the official and parallel market exchange rates had disappeared, while speculative arbitrage, a persistent source of currency pressure in past years, had also vanished.

    “This renewed stability has restored confidence and spurred autonomous inflows through formal channels. These inflows are diversifying our foreign exchange sources beyond oil,” Cardoso added. Arise News

  • Catholic Bishop Echema Lauds Gov. Otti 

    Catholic Bishop Echema Lauds Gov. Otti 

    The Catholic Bishop of Aba Diocese – Most Rev. (Prof.) Augustine Ndubueze Echema has declared that the works of the Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti, OFR, will speak and campaign for him.

    Bishop Echema made the declaration on Sunday, 27th April, 2025, during the thanksgiving service of Rev. Dr. Christian Ikpeamaeze at the St. Peter Claver Catholic Parish Umueleghele, Eketa in Isiala Ngwa South LGA.

    “Your good works will campaign for you. I always tell my people, if you cannot see, can’t you also hear. Nobody believed, even myself here; I never knew that governance could be as good, as easy, and as effective. I never believed that Aba could ever be clean as it is today.

    “Not to talk of roads all over the place – roads that are being built and not just pouring of sand. If you want to contest, what I am saying, go to Port Harcourt Road, Aba and see a solid and durable road. What I speak is what I am seeing. We are grateful to you (Governor Otti).

    “For the very first time, Abians are proud to be Abians and proud of their Governor. This is not a campaign, what we are saying is what we are seeing. I have always said it, even now, and during the previous administrations, my benchmark for any government of Abia State is Port Harcourt Road, and it has come to be today, thanks to you,” the Revered leader of the Catholic Diocese of Aba Stated.

    Speaking further, Bishop Echeme said that, though he doesn’t own any shop at Port Harcourt Road, Aba, he has seen how light has come back to Port Harcourt Road, and also observed that the people that left the area have come back, noting that, “that is what good governance should be”; creating the enabling environment for the people to prosper in their lawful endeavours.

    While thanking Governor Otti for the cordial relationship that exist between him and the Catholic church and for always identifying with the church, the leader of Aba Dioceses of the Catholic Church stated that, when Nigerians from all walks of life gather, they always discuss the challenges facing Nigeria. He revealed that, when Abia is mentioned presently, it’s all about positive comments, with many wondering where Governor Otti is getting all the money he is using to carry out the massive and visible developmental projects across the State.

    Most Rev. Echema also recalled when the Governor visited Christ the King Cathedral, Aba during their 2024 Chrism Mass, where the Governor told the pensioners that sooner than later, they would smile as the arrears of pensions owed them by previous administrations would start hitting their bank accounts.

    “It is not just roads, he came last year during our chrism mass and told us that before the end of the day, pensioners will smile. We thought it was a joke. At the end of the day, I asked whether it happened, and my people confirmed. It is not just about infrastructure, workers at all levels are getting their pay,” Bishop Echema added amidst applause from the happy worshipers.

    “I stand here to thank you today for your good works. As you continue with your good works, no Jupiter, no evil can ever come your way. Nobody can challenge you because the good works on ground will speak,” Bishop Echema declared as the congregation echoed a resounding amen affirming his declaration.

    Earlier in his speech to the crowd of worshipers who could not hide their joy of having him worship with them, Governor Alex Otti, OFR, expressed his profound gratitude to God almighty for sparing the life of Rev. Dr. Christian Ikpeamaeze who went through a complicated surgery that lasted for almost 7 hours at a Germany Hospital in December last year.

    Governor Otti, who stated that he was very happy worshiping with the congregation and sharing in the joy for the life of Rev. Dr. Ikpeamaeze, reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to delivering quality healthcare to Abians and reversing medical tourism abroad to Abia State. He disclosed that the announcement for the ground-breaking of the construction of a world-class medical village in Isiala Ngwa South LGA would be made soon; assuring that all manner of ailments that Nigerians go abroad for cure would be treated there.

    Governor Otti equally assured that as soon as the 200 Primary Healthcare Centers currently undergoing renovation and retrofitting across the 184 Wards of the State are delivered, another 200 would be selected for renovation and retrofitting until all the 948 Primary Health Centers in the State are fixed to service the Primary healthcare needs of the people.

    Governor Otti also stated that the construction of a brand new Eketa Market, which he disclosed would be completed before the end of the year, would serve as a model for the construction of Markets in other places.

    The event attracted religious leaders, top government functionaries, and political leaders, among other dignitaries.

    Ctz. UKOHA NJOKU UKOHA
    Chief Press Secretary to the Executive Governor of Abia State.
    27-04-2025.

  • Suspected Herders Kill 7 Traders in Benue 

    Suspected Herders Kill 7 Traders in Benue 

    Armed bandits believed to be herders have attacked Yanriwa Market in Kwande local government area of Benue State, killing five traders and injuring seven others.

    A resident of the community, Lawrence Akerigba who disclosed this to our correspondent on telephone, explained that the heavily armed gunmen invaded the market about 3pm when traders were transacting business.

    Akerigba said the gunmen were shooting sporadically at anyone in sight leading to the killing of the five persons.

    He lamented that the federal government reneged on its promise to deploy additional security operatives to the communities following the 2024 Christmas day attack where over 20 farmers were killed.

    This he said was promised by the government to the affected communities to enable displaced farmers to go back to their ancestral homes.

    “Up till now, nothing of that nature has been done. Government has abandoned us to our fate.

    “The attack by the herdsmen happened around 3pm in Liev 1 at Usambe in Ikyurav ya,” the distraught resident lamented.

    According to him, there is a market in the mountainous area called Yariwa which is patronized by the people of Ikyurav and Turan communities.

    He explained that the herdsmen have blocked the Anwase road, where the Christmas attack and killings took place, “as I am talking to you, that road is no longer passable.”

    He added that the people of the area have charted another route to Anwase, and taking refuge in Ikyurav, where they establish a market to enable farmers bring their produce once in a week for sale.

    “However, the joy of selling turns bloody when the herdsmen invaded the market while people were buying and selling and started shooting at the people.

    “Five persons were killed on the spot and 7 others sustained injuries and were taken to the hospital. Some other people are still missing and the search is still ongoing,” Akerigba said.

    He added that most schools, churches and markets in the area have been shut due to the herdsmen activities.

    “The security men on the ground are trying so much to prevent the attacks, but because they are few in number, their efforts are not much felt.”

    He called on the government to deploy more security “to enable our children and farmers to resume school and farm”, even as he said all the schools in the five council wards affected by the crisis have been shut down. Leadership

  • Akanu Ibiam International Airport to be reopened April 28

    Akanu Ibiam International Airport to be reopened April 28

    The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), has announced the reopening of Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, on Monday, April 28, 2025.

    In a press release dated 26th April, 2025, FAAN’s Director of Public Affairs & Consumer Protection, Obiageli Orah, said the re-opening followed the completion of emergency runway repairs of the airport.

    According to Orah, the runway is certified suitable for landings and takeoffs by the agency’s engineers.

    The full statement reads:

    The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced that Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, Enugu State, will reopen for flight operations on Monday, 28th April 2025, following the completion of emergency runway repairs.

    On April 18th, 2025, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) announced that due to a sudden and significant rupture in the asphalt surface at a critical section of the runway, the runway would be shut down for emergency repairs. The work was scheduled to begin on April 22nd and conclude before reopening on May 6th, 2025. However, rehabilitation works on the runway have been completed, and the runway is cleared for landings and takeoffs by the engineers working with FAAN.

    FAAN appreciates all airport users and stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation during this time. The Authority sincerely apologises for the inconvenience but assures the public that all actions were taken in the interest of safety.

    FAAN-Safe Skies, Secure Airports, Seamless Travel.

    Mrs Obiageli Orah

    Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection.

  • Pope Francis laid to rest as about 250,000 mourners pay final respects at Vatican funeral

    Pope Francis has been laid to rest in Rome following solemn, hours-long funeral rites at St Peter’s Square in the Vatican, bringing to a close his sometimes turbulent 12-year leadership of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.

    The Argentinian pontiff, who died earlier this week from a stroke and cardiac arrest at the age of 88, was buried on Saturday at the Basilica of St Mary Major in the Italian capital.

    As sunny skies greeted crowds of well-wishers in Rome, tens of thousands packed the square to attend the ceremony, officiated by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, with many queueing from the early hours outside the square.

    Security around the Vatican was unprecedented, with Italian authorities deploying more than 2,500 police officers and 1,500 soldiers, closing the airspace above Vatican City, and stationing a torpedo ship off the coast, Italian media reported.

    Vatican Pope
    Pallbearers carry the coffin of Pope Francis during his funeral at the Vatican [Gregorio Borgia/AP]

    Applause and cheers rang out as Francis’s wooden coffin, inlaid with a large cross, was carried by 14 white-gloved pallbearers through the main doors of St Peter’s Basilica to the outdoor funeral service.

    Among the mourners were royals and global leaders, including United States President Donald Trump, who had frequently clashed with Francis over their sharply contrasting views on immigration.

    French President Emmanuel Macron, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, European Union leaders, the United Kingdom’s Prince William, and members of the Spanish royal family were also in attendance.

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who had initially said he could not attend due to new Russian attacks, was present after all. According to reports, he held a meeting with Trump before the ceremony – their first face-to-face encounter since a heated Oval Office clash in February.

    Former US President Joe Biden also attended, alongside other world leaders including Argentina’s President Javier Milei, Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and Lebanon’s General Joseph Aoun.

    ‘A pope among the people’

    As world leaders watched from the sidelines, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re delivered a moving funeral homily, describing Francis as a relentless advocate for peace and human dignity.

    “Faced with the raging wars of recent years, with their inhuman horrors and countless deaths and destruction, Pope Francis incessantly raised his voice imploring peace and calling for reason and honest negotiation to find possible solutions,” Battista Re said.

    He also praised Francis’s landmark papal letter on climate change and highlighted his many visits to places like Lampedusa and Lesbos, where the pope met migrants and refugees in detention camps.

    “His gestures and exhortations in favour of refugees and displaced people are countless,” Battista Re told the crowd.

    He eulogised Francis as “a pope among the people, with an open heart towards everyone”, known for his informal, spontaneous style and his ability to reach “the least among us”.

    A humble final resting place

    Reporting from the Vatican, Al Jazeera’s Jonah Hull called it an “utterly beautiful service” that was “very well received by the enormous crowd”, noting how spontaneous applause broke out during the historic moment.

    Following the service, Francis’s coffin made a 4km (2.5-mile) journey through the centre of Rome. According to the Vatican, 150,00 lined up the route of the motorcade to watch the pope’s motorcade.

    His burial at St Mary Major Basilica – rather than St Peter’s – was a deeply personal decision made by Francis himself in his last will, Hull reported.

    “It has a deep personal significance to Pope Francis and the Jesuit faith, which he was part of,” Hull said.

    Earlier this week, more than 250,000 people stood in line – some for hours – to pay their final respects while Francis’s body lay in state at St Peter’s Basilica. The Vatican kept its doors open overnight to accommodate the crowds.

    His final resting place, a plain tomb in a historic Roman church that has not held papal remains in centuries, reflects the humility and independence that defined Francis’s papacy.

    After the funeral, a group of 40 people – including migrants, homeless individuals, prisoners, and transgender people – greeted the late pope’s coffin with white roses on the steps of St Mary Major Basilica. Al Jazeera

  • Crowds gather for Pope Francis’ funeral Mass at the Vatican

    Throngs of mourners are gathering in Vatican City and lining the streets of Rome on Saturday to give a final send-off to Pope Francis, who will be remembered as a champion of migrants and the poor, and for his efforts to reshape the Catholic Church.

    His funeral Mass is being held on the steps of St. Peter’s Basilica, one of the Catholic Church’s most important sites, with more than 50 world leaders and 11 reigning monarchs in attendance. They are expected to include US President Donald Trump, Argentine President Javier Milei, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., head of the largest Catholic nation in Asia.

    The Vatican has prepared for as many as 250,000 people to flock to St. Peter’s Square and one million more to line the 6-kilometer (3.7-mile) procession route from Vatican City through Rome to the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, in hopes of seeing the pope’s modest coffin as it travels to his final resting place.

    Many more of world’s 1.4 billion Catholics will watch the funeral for the first Latin American pope on TV.

    Pope Francis died at the age of 88 after suffering a stroke on Easter Monday, just one day after he appeared in the same square to offer a blessing to the faithful at the high point of the Christian calendar.

    In the days that followed, about 250,000 mourners came to pay their final respects as his body lay in state inside St. Peter’s Basilica. His coffin was officially sealed on Friday night in a liturgical rite led by the Cardinal Camerlengo Kevin Farrell, the acting head of the church.

    As daylight gleams off the massive travertine columns of St. Peter’s Square on Saturday morning, the funeral Mass will open with the chant, sung in Latin: “Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.”

    A Bible reading will be given in English, and a “Prayer of the Faithful” will be offered up in multiple other languages, including French, Arabic, Portuguese, Polish, German and for the first time, Mandarin, fitting for a pope who sought to reach out to followers in all parts of the globe.

    In keeping with tradition, the Mass will include a homily and communion and end with a final commendation and farewell. Francis approved the order of the day for Saturday back in June 2024.

    But other elements of the day will be pared back, as Francis had sought to “simplify and adapt” proceedings, so that the papal funeral is “that of a pastor and disciple of Christ, and not of a powerful person in this world,” according to Vatican officials.

    Francis, who chose his name in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, with his commitment to poverty, peace and nature, also wanted to reflect his own dedication to the homeless and disadvantaged in the day’s events.

    He believed “the poor have a privileged place in the heart of God,” a Holy See statement said. “For this reason, a group of poor and needy people will be present on the steps leading to the papal Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore to pay their last respects to Pope Francis before the burial of his coffin.”

    They will be the last members of the public to see his wooden coffin, after it’s driven slowly through the streets of Rome – past tourist highlights like the Piazza Venezia and the ancient Colosseum – in his final procession.

    Francis will become the first pope in more than three centuries to be buried at Santa Maria Maggiore, with the interment taking place away from the public eye.

    He was a pope of many firsts – the first Latin American pontiff, the first of the Jesuit order and the first modern-day pope born outside of Europe.

    Elected in 2013 as an outsider candidate from Argentina, Francis went on to usher in progressive reforms, including the promotion of women’s roles in the church.

    But his 12-year leadership was not without criticism. He took some important steps to address the Catholic Church’s clerical sexual abuse scandals, but campaigners and survivors say there is still much more to do.

    Divisions within the Church over same-sex relationships also persisted throughout his papacy. When asked about his position on sexual orientation, the pope famously said, “Who am I to judge?” but also reaffirmed the Church’s position that homosexuality is considered sinful.

    And his record was disparaged by some of the more conservative cardinals and members of the Church.

    Francis issued a rebuke of the Trump administration’s immigration policy earlier this year, and criticized Vice President JD Vance’s use of theology to defend its approach. Vance was one of the last people to meet with the pope, in a brief encounter on Easter Sunday.

    The next pope will be chosen by cardinals from around the world in conclave, a closed-door process that may see a battle play out between those who want to continue Pope Francis’ progressive path and those who want to reverse it.

    Catholics throughout the world have differing opinions, but many believers gathered in Vatican City this week told CNN that they are proud of Francis’ record.

    “He made some good changes in the Church. I think the Church is now more open,” said Laura Grund, from Leipzig, Germany, who was among the last people to see the late pope lying in state. “He opened many doors.”

    “He was a very simple man, who loved other people,” said Sister Luisa, a nun from Munich. “We feel very blessed, but also deep sorrow.” CNN

  • FCCPC’s $220m Fine Against Meta Upheld by Tribunal 

    FCCPC’s $220m Fine Against Meta Upheld by Tribunal 

    The Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal has upheld the $220 million fine imposed on Meta Platforms Incorporated by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).

    In a statement on Friday, the FCCPC’s Director for Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu, announced that the tribunal also awarded the commission $35,000 to cover the investigation costs.

    Ijagwu noted that the Tribunal specifically determined that the Commission complied with prevailing laws, discharged its mandate, and exercised its powers within the confines of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

    He added that the Tribunal ruled that the multiple actions by WhatsApp and Meta, for which the Commission made findings of violations, were correctly identified, and that the Commission did not err in making those findings.

    The tribunal’s three-member panel was led by Honorable Thomas Okosun.

    WhatsApp and Meta’s legal team was led by Gbolahan Elias (SAN) while the FCCPC’s legal team was led by Mr. Babatunde Irukera. Both teams had made their final arguments on behalf of their respective clients on January 28, 2025.

    The FCCPC had on July on July 19, 2024, issued a Final Order imposing a $220 million administrative penalty after concluding that the companies engaged in discriminatory and exploitative practices against Nigerian consumers.

    The Commission said it started an investigation into the alleged unethical practice by Meta in 2020.

    The case arose from a 38-month joint investigation initiated by the FCCPC and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) into the conduct, privacy practices, and consumer data policies of Meta Platforms and WhatsApp.

    Dissatisfied with the Order last year, Meta and WhatsApp appealed to the Tribunal, challenging both the legal basis and the findings of the Commission.

    While ruling on Meta’s appeal, the Tribunal also validated the Commission’s investigative procedures and processes.

    The Tribunal resolved Issues 1 to 7 largely in favour of the FCCPC, dismissing the appellants’ objections to the Commission’s findings, orders, and legal competence.

    One of the central issues (Issue 3), which alleged a breach of fair hearing, was decided in favour of the Commission, with the Tribunal affirming that the FCCPC fully discharged its quasi-judicial responsibilities by affording the appellants ample opportunity to respond. The Tribunal found no violation of constitutional due process.

    On Issue 4, which questioned the Commission’s powers in matters of data protection and privacy, the Tribunal held that the FCCPC acted within its statutory mandate, reaffirming its authority under Section 104 of the FCCPA to regulate competition and consumer protection even in regulated industries.

    On Issue 5, which challenged the Commission’s findings regarding Meta’s privacy policies, the tribunal also resolved in the FCCPC’s favour. The Tribunal found no error in the Commission’s conclusions and held that the privacy policy in question did, in fact, offend Nigerian law.

    While Issue 7 was largely resolved in favour of the Commission, the Tribunal set aside Order 7 of the Commission’s Final Order, stating that it lacked a sufficient legal basis.

    While expressing delight at the landmark judgement, FCCPC Executive Vice Chairman/CEO, Tunji Bello, thanked the Commission’s legal team for their exceptional diligence and forensic skills in assembling evidence and marshalling their argument.

    He restated FCCPC’s unwavering commitment to not only championing the rights of Nigerian consumers but also ensuring fair business practices in the country in accordance with FCCPA (2018) and consistent with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Channels TV

  • Tinubu sends Akpabio-led Nigerian delegation to Pope Francis’ funeral in Vatican City

    Tinubu sends Akpabio-led Nigerian delegation to Pope Francis’ funeral in Vatican City

    President Bola Tinubu has sent a high-powered delegation to Vatican City to attend the funeral of His Holiness Pope Francis, scheduled for today. Leading the five-member Nigerian delegation is Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

    According to a statement by Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the delegation also includes Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu; Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria; Archbishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of Sokoto Diocese; and Archbishop Ignatius Ayua Kaigama of Abuja Diocese.

    Pope Francis, leader of the Roman Catholic Church, passed away on Monday, April 21, at the age of 88, just a day after celebrating Easter Sunday at the Vatican. His funeral will be held at St. Peter’s Square, with thousands of mourners and over 170 international delegations expected to attend.

    In a condolence message, President Tinubu described the late pontiff as “a humble servant of God, a tireless champion of the poor, and a guiding light for millions.” He added, “Pope Francis’s death, coming just after the celebration of Christ’s resurrection, is a sacred return to his Maker at a time of renewed hope for Christians worldwide.”

    The Nigerian delegation will formally deliver a letter of sympathy and condolences from President Tinubu to the acting Head of the Vatican.

    The Pope’s body lies in state at St. Peter’s Basilica, where thousands have paid their respects, with the funeral mass set to begin at 10 a.m. local time on Saturday. Following the funeral, Pope Francis will be interred at Rome’s papal basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, a place he personally chose as his final resting place.