The Vatican has confirmed the Pope’s official cause of death, saying Monday afternoon that the late pontiff had suffered a cerebral stroke and subsequent irreversible heart failure. Francis had battled poor health for several months, and had recently endured a long battle with double pneumonia. He passed away early Monday morning, hours after he had made a surprise Easter Sunday showing at St. Peter’s Basilica to greet his eager followers.
Former African champions, Super Eagles and Premier League giants, Chelsea have congratulated erstwhile national team skipper John Obi Mikel on his 38th birthday. Both national team and the European club side took to Twitter handle now X on Tuesday to celebrate the retired midfielder. “Happy birthday to our former captain and legend Mikel John,” Super Eagles wrote. In a similar fashion, Chelsea also wrote; “Mikel Have a wonderful birthday, John Obi Mikel!” Mikel, born John Michael Nchekwube Obinna on 22 April 1987 stayed with Chelsea for 11 years where he won multiple titles, including two Premier League titles, four FA Cups, and the 2011–12 Champions League. After leaving Chelsea, he had brief stints at Tianjin TEDA, Middlesbrough, Trabzonspor, Stoke City and Kuwait SC. In a 14-year international career between 2005 and 2019, he played 91 times for Nigeria, scoring six goals. He went to five Africa Cup of Nations tournaments (winning in 2013), two World Cups, and won a bronze medal at the Olympics in 2016.
The Niger State Police Command has arrested four suspected fraudsters who pose as police officers to swindle unsuspecting traders of their money and cattle at different markets. The suspects identified as Aliyu Abbas, 35, of Funtua, Katsina; Jibrin Idris, 35, of Gwiwa, Jigawa; Musa Ya’u of Daura, Katsina; and Abubakar Yahaya, 45, were arrested on April 16, 2025. Spokesperson of the command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, who confirmed the arrest in a statement, said the suspects were found to be in possession of a handcuff, N1.2 million, cut-to-size papers, liquid chemicals for counterfeiting notes, and two mobile phones. “On 16th April, 2025 at about 3pm, acting on a credible intelligence that a syndicate of four men who specialized in defrauding unsuspecting members of the public in various markets around Niger State were sighted at Izom cattle market, planning to defraud a person after selling his cattle,” the statement read. “Based on this, Police operatives of Maje Div mobilised to the scene and intercepted one black Mercedes Benz vehicle with Reg. No. KTU 747 HF with the following suspects; Aliyu Abbas 35yrs of Funtua, Katsina, Jibrin Idris 35yrs of Gwiwa, Jigawa, Musa Ya’u of Daura, Katsina and Abubakar Yahaya 45yrs of Daura, Katsina. “On interrogation, the suspects confessed to being fraudsters and a sum of one million, two hundred thousand naira was recovered from them. Other exhibits include a bunch of cut to size papers, liquid chemicals claimed to be used for counterfeit notes, handcuff, and two phones. “Some victims identified the syndicate as fraudsters who had swindled them of their money and cattle at different markets. It was also said that at times, they do present themselves as policemen to their victims or counterfeit notes producer and other means of defrauding people. “The suspects are under further investigation and will be charged to court after investigations
The seminar for the General Secretaries of CAF West Zone B, as well as representatives from Cameroon and Liberia, opened on Monday morning at the Zone’s headquarters in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire. After the welcome address delivered by the Executive Director, Mr. Philippe Tchere, the official opening of the proceedings took place online under the chairmanship of Mr. Kurt Edwin-Simeon Okraku, President of West Zone B. This two-day seminar is organized around the theme “𝐁𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐏” and is being facilitated by Mr. Patrick D. Cowden. Its objective is to strengthen the managerial and strategic skills of the participants, in line with CAF’s commitment to professionalize and support the development of West African football. The scheduled discussions and workshops will allow the General Secretaries to deepen their reflection on governance, communication, and leadership, in service of the performance of their respective federations.
During an interview on Noble Nigeria hosted by Noble Eyisi, Sowore explained his principled stance on not aligning with political godfathers in order to win power. Human rights activist and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) Omoyele Sowore has said he refuses to compromise his values for political gain, warning that Nigeria has become “a burial ground for good- intentioned people” where evil is more likely to thrive than virtue. During an interview on Noble Nigeria hosted by Noble Eyisi, Sowore explained his principled stance on not aligning with political godfathers in order to win power. ‘Peter Obi Was Packaged by the Elite’. On the subject of Peter Obi, Sowore was unflinching. He described the former Anambra State governor as a “packaged” candidate promoted by the elite to hijack the energy of the #EndSARS movement. “After #EndSARS, the youth were ripe for power. But the elites knew they had to insert someone they could talk to,” Sowore claimed. “So they gave them Obi, and it was all packaging.” According to Sowore, Obi is not the revolutionary some people think he is. Sowore also accused Obi’s supporters of waging an aggressive information campaign and using social media to silence dissenting voices. “Obi was portrayed as the face of the youth struggle, but it was a tyranny of the minority,” he said. “Even Wole Soyinka told me he almost fell for it up to a point. He said I was almost endorsing this guy. And then he woke up one day and his name was all over, and he said he was asking, what did I do wrong? What did I do wrong? It turns out they just picked on him for no reason. And even though he didn’t participate in the election, he became the most ridiculed person after the election. That was what got him upset. And he said, ‘Oh, if this is my last assignment on earth, I’m going to let people know who you people are.” Recounting his own encounters with Obi, Sowore shared personal stories of what he described as hypocrisy and stagecraft. “When we were running for election, I noticed something about him. If Peter wants to take a private jet, he will go and enter through commercial place and greet everybody. You think?. And then they will bring a vehicle and put him to go to the private jet area,” he said. He narrated how Obi would then switch to the VIP lounge for a private jet. “I was actually expecting that he was driving Innoson motors,” he said. “Peter Obi had nothing less than 10 big Toyota SUVs waiting for him. And I was telling myself, why do you have to lie? So why do you have to cover up for this? Nobody’s going to be upset with you that you are a presidential candidate if you have a convoy. “But look at this trajectory, and that packaging is his style. And if you want to get away with finding out, then he’ll send his people after you.” “I knew him and he knew that I knew him. But there were guys who were against him in those days who didn’t have the courage to come out again, because they were afraid of the backlash, and they did a fantastic job of scaring everybody,” he said. Sowore narrated how Obi once publicly praised him for helping him become governor, but later allowed his associates to smear him and novelist Okey Ndibe with false accusations. “They printed posters in Anambra calling us gay partners,” he recalled. “That’s when I knew he endorses those rabid online attacks.” “Information Warfare Worse Than Military Rule” Sowore warned that the political atmosphere in Nigeria had become dangerously intolerant, comparing the media manipulation around Obi’s rise to tactics seen during the civil war and military rule. “But there were guys who were against him (Obi) in those days who didn’t have the courage to come out again, because they were afraid of the backlash, and they did a fantastic job of scaring everybody,” he said. He added that many of the youth leaders from EndSARS had been co-opted or silenced, naming popular activists and entertainers who allegedly supported the elite’s plan.
After five exhilarating days of elite-level volleyball, Amuwo Spikers emerged champions of the 2025 LVC Thunder Games Championship, outplaying a fiercely competitive field to clinch the coveted trophy on Saturday night. The annual competition, hosted by Lekki Volleyball Club, brought together top regional teams from across the country in a festival of athleticism, spirit, and community. The tournament, which took place from April 15th to 19th at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos, saw Amuwo Spikers dominate the competition, winning first place in both the male and female categories. In the male category, Amuwo Spikers took the top spot, followed by Lekki Cruisers in second place and Legacy VB in third place. In the female category, Amuwo Spikers again took the top spot, with Lekki Cruisers in second place and Oluyole Spikers in third place. In the thrilling final match, Team Amuwo defeated the defending champions, Lekki Cruisers, with a score of 3-2, showcasing grit, precision, and resilience that cemented their position as a powerhouse in Nigerian volleyball. The tournament featured 25 teams, including 15 male and 8 female teams, making it the largest volleyball tournament ever held in Lagos. The Most Valuable Player awards went to Ebuka Anachuna in the male category and Albertina Francis in the female category, both recognized for their exceptional performances throughout the tournament. Commenting on the victory, the Amuwo Spikers coach, Aare Oluwaseun, said, “This is one of the best tournaments in Nigeria currently, with most of the national players represented. From the spikes to the sets and defense, it has been a thunderous affair.” The Head coach of Lekki Cruisers, Iwerima John, also praised the tournament, saying, “The competition has exposed a lot of talents in the country, playing good volleyball. It is important to continue to support tournaments like this, contributing to the development of this sport.” The LVC Thunder Games 2025 was a resounding success, showcasing the best of Nigerian volleyball talent and setting the stage for future competitions.
The body of the late Pope Francis will be transferred to St. Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday at 9:00 AM to lie in state until his funeral on Saturday morning at 10:00 AM. The Holy See Press Office announced on Tuesday that Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, will preside at the funeral Mass, which will be concelebrated by Patriarchs, Cardinals, Archbishops, Bishops, and priests from across the globe. The Eucharistic celebration will conclude with the Ultima commendatio and the Valedictio, marking the beginning of the Novemdiales, or nine days of mourning and Masses for the repose of Pope Francis’ soul. The late Pope’s body will then be taken into St. Peter’s Basilica and then to the Basilica of St. Mary Major for entombment. Earlier, on Wednesday, the coffin containing the Pope’s body will be carried from the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta to St. Peter’s Basilica. Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, will preside over the rite of translation on April 23, which will begin at 9:00 AM with a moment of prayer. The procession will pass through Santa Marta Square and the Square of the Roman Protomartyrs, according to the Holy See Press Office. The procession will then exit through the Arch of the Bells into St. Peter’s Square and enter the Vatican Basilica through the central door. At the Altar of the Confession, the Cardinal Camerlengo will preside over the Liturgy of the Word, at the conclusion of which the visits to the body of the Roman Pontiff will commence.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) generated ₦336.37 billion from crude oil sales in the first quarter of 2025, with Dangote Petroleum Refinery accounting for over 32 percent of the transactions. Internal documents submitted at the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meetings and obtained by The PUNCH revealed that crude supplies to the refinery totaled ₦107.44 billion, with unit prices ranging from $74.87 to $80.34 per barrel. These transactions were settled in naira using exchange rates recommended by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), between ₦1,501.22/$ and ₦1,562.91/$. This naira-based crude supply arrangement is part of the Federal Government’s initiative to support local refining, conserve foreign exchange, and reduce fuel import dependency. Initially introduced in July 2024, the naira-for-crude policy directed NNPCL to sell crude oil to Dangote Refinery in naira for an initial six-month phase. While the refinery briefly suspended sales in naira in March 2025 due to currency mismatch concerns, the Federal Executive Council reaffirmed the agreement, emphasizing its importance as a sustainable long-term policy. Following the policy’s reinstatement, Dangote Refinery slashed its ex-depot petrol price to ₦835 per litre—its third reduction in six weeks—underscoring the benefits of local crude supply. During Q1 2025, the refinery received seven cargoes totaling 915,821 barrels from the Okwuibome field operated by Sterling Oil (SEEPCO), under a Production Sharing Contract. However, SEEPCO has faced scrutiny over alleged expatriate quota abuse and anti-labour practices, prompting investigations and sanctions from the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB). Despite these controversies, SEEPCO’s operations continue to play a vital role in Nigeria’s oil sector. The NNPCL’s sales documents listed crude shipments to Dangote Refinery with transaction values ranging from ₦5.69 billion to ₦34.18 billion. These shipments contributed significantly to local supply while leveraging domestic exchange rates. The total value of the crude lifted by Dangote Refinery was $70.54 million, equivalent to ₦107.44 billion, all settled in naira. In addition to domestic sales, NNPCL also realized ₦228.94 billion from exporting 1.95 million barrels of crude oil to international refiners, sourced from Egina, Erha, and Forcados Blend fields. These export transactions, executed under Production Sharing Contracts with companies like Total, ExxonMobil, and Pan Ocean, were priced between $74.90 and $78.94 per barrel. The export exchange rates provided by the Central Bank of Nigeria were slightly lower than those used for Dangote’s domestic purchases, reflecting the volatility in the foreign exchange market and the challenge of balancing forex earnings with domestic energy priorities.
