Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia has appointed renowned music star 2Face Idibia as Technical Adviser on Entertainment and Community Outreach.
The award-winning artist hails from Okpokwu Local Government Area in the Benue South Senatorial District.
His appointment is seen as part of the government’s effort to strengthen engagement with the creative industry and improve grassroots communication.
Details shortly…
The Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Airport, Minna, has been declared as the alternative airport to the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport.
Minister of Aviation Festus Keyamo declared this at the inaugural flight commencement of Overland Airways from Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Airport in Minna.
Keyamo said the airport has the face, runway, ambience, and location that fits any other international airport across the world.
“The runway is an international runway; a 747 and a tripple 7 can use this runway. Why over the years this has been underutilised is still a puzzle.
“Our eyes are on this airport. By the powers conferred in me, I declare Minna airport as the alternative to Abuja Airport. NCA, FAAN, take note,” he stated.
Details shortly…
Armed men who have been attacking Benue communities in the last two months are foreigners, Governor Hyacinth Alia said last night.
According to him, 73 bodies were recovered in the latest round of attacks by the insurgents who swarmed Ukum, Logo and Katsina-Ala local government areas.
He explained that the attackers find their way into the communities in their hundreds on motorbikes, armed with “AK-47, AK-49 and machetes”.
The governor revealed that apart from Ukum, Logo and Katsina-Ala LGAs where 72 persons were killed by the invaders, three other councils – Kwande, Guma, and Gwer West – are now under a deadly siege.
Speaking on a television programme, Alia said: “These folks come in, fully armed with AK-47, AK-49. They don’t bear the Nigerian look, and they don’t speak what we speak.
“Their Hausa is one sort of Hausa, not the normal Hausa we Nigerians speak.
“Our people who have witnessed the attacks say they are Malians and different forms of people, but they are not Nigerians.”
He said the “terrorists” operated from cells in Nasarawa and the Nigeria-Cameroon border near Kwande LGA, exploiting porous borders.
“They come in as they kill, as they maim, as they push people away. They just keep killing, and then they run back,” Alia said, emphasising their coordinated strategy.
The governor said the latest attacks, which turned Good Friday into a “Black Friday,” saw villages in the Sankera axis surrounded at night.
“They surrounded a number of villages. They were ready, just willing to take anything walking or breathing out. Anything on their way is cleared.
“By morning, 72 deaths were confirmed—29 in Ukum, 27 in Logo, three in Katsina-Ala, and others in hospitals—along with countless injuries and displaced residents,” Alia recounted.
He said another body was recovered, which brought the toll to 73.
The governor gave the motive of the marauders as land-grabbing.
“They have occupied some LGAs in the last 15 years,” he said.
Also yesterday, the governor hosted National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, who delivered President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s message.
Ribadu reassured the governor of the Tinubu Administration’s commitment to securing their lives and properties.
Six communities on the red line
Alia highlighted that Ukum, Logo, Katsina-Ala, Kwande, Guma, and Gwer-West of the state’s 23 LGAs are also now on the red line.
“They grab the land, they chase the people out, and they stay in the land. That’s what’s going on because there are some local governments here, and these people have occupied in the last 15 years.
“These occupied areas serve as bases for repeated attacks. Those are the areas you hear of, constant attacks, because they hit and then they go back into the local government hinterlands.
“The attackers also target food security, with herders in their group destroying stored crops. They would now open the barns, destroy the food, cut the yams and whatever. They cut the guinea corn and maize and throw them to the cows to eat,” Alia explained.
Governor backs community policing
Alia said the attackers swarm the communities on bikes, stressing the need to empower the people to defend themselves.
“The terrorists come not just in their 50s but in hundreds, one, two and three hundred, on motorbikes, one motorbike carrying three or four people.
“That’s a lot of terrorists just cruising in. Armed with sophisticated weapons, they outmatch local defences, including the Benue State Civil Protection Guards, who lack heavy weaponry.
“The civil protection guards are also around, but they don’t carry heavy gadgets. The law does not permit them to do this.”
Alia advocated community policing to counter the threat, citing the overstretched state of security agencies.
“The uniform people alone are overstretched. The locals are telling us, we want to go and protect our turf,” he said, supporting calls for self-defence but cautioning against vigilantism.
The governor urged the Federal Government to establish special security operational bases at the borders and equip the locals.
He said that the state has, on its part, provided 100 vehicles and 600 motorbikes for security agencies, but stressed the need for more federal support, including collaboration with the NSA.
A call for urgent action
The governor, however, commended the Police, Army, Civil Defence, and DSS for reducing attacks over the past nine months but warned that the current wave required urgent action.
He said: “The heat is now just quite enormous that more hands should come in.”
He appealed for calm, referencing a recent stakeholder meeting with traditional rulers and civil society.
“We need people to understand that we are under a siege. They shouldn’t just say they would take the law into their own hands.
“I strongly urge our people to remain calm and not take the law into their own hands. This is a new version of terrorism.”
Alia had, during Ribadu’s visit, appealed to the Federal Government to hasten the plan to return Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to their ancestral homes.
He expressed the determination of his government to fully support the Federal Government and security agencies to end insecurity in the state.
Alia said: “The attacks have led to IDPs spreading to 20 LGAs in the state.
“The farming populations are all now in the camps waiting for a handout as food.
“If necessary actions are not taken, Benue will no longer be known as the food basket of the nation.
“The attackers have taken over communities and settlements, grazing on the farmlands while their victims are in IDP camps.”
Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun has ordered the immediate withdrawal of riot policemen deployed as escorts, guards and aides to Very Important Personalities(VIPs) as well as other private individuals.
Egbetokun gave the directive at a meeting with Police Mobile Force (PMF) Squadron Commanders in Abuja yesterday. The meeting was convened to review operational strategies to address the rising insecurity in some parts of the country, especially Plateau and Benue States.
He also announced that each PMF squadron must maintain at least one combat-ready unit on standby for interventions in troubled spots.
The police boss explained that their involvement in non-essential duties defeats the original purpose of the PMF as a tactical unit designed to respond swiftly to riots.
He also noted persistent misconduct by such policemen and warned that their commanders would henceforth be held accountable for their misconduct.
The IGP said: “Directives have already been issued concerning the withdrawal of PMF personnel from unauthorised deployments. All commanders are to enforce this directive without delay.”
“The foundational mandate of the Force has been compromised over time. A significant number of PMF personnel are deployed as escorts, guards or aides to private individuals and VIPs. This diversion weakens our capacity to respond where needed most.
Lamenting that the actions of such policemen tarnish the image of the Force, he said: “Indiscipline and misconduct within the PMF will no longer be tolerated. ‘’Today marks the beginning of a new era—one defined by accountability, discipline, and a recommitment to our founding values.
“Effective immediately, each PMF squadron must maintain at least one fully equipped, combat-ready unit on standby for tactical interventions. Additionally, every squadron will be required to send one unit for quarterly training focused on ethics, professionalism, and responsible policing”.
Egbetokun said that all the commanders are expected to lead regular lectures, inspections and localised training programmes that reinforce discipline and human rights.
“The PMF must once again emerge as the elite tactical unit it was intended to be—disciplined, professional, and ready to defend the nation,” Egbetokun said.
The IGP also highlighted the rising threat of coordinated attacks on security personnel across the country—from separatists in the Southeast to terrorists in the Northeast—and called for a united security front.
He announced that the newly established Special Intervention Squad (SIS) will support PMF deployments in conflict zones.
“Security is a shared responsibility. Our success depends on trust, respect, and cooperation with all sister security agencies”, the IGP said.
As part of broader reforms, Egbetokun disclosed that the Force would embark on a comprehensive reorganisation of the PMF.
“Our focus now is on combating violent crimes and safeguarding national security. We are injecting new leadership perspectives and continuous capacity-building to restore the PMF to its rightful role in internal security and tactical excellence,” he said.
The end came quickly for Pope Francis on Easter Monday.
He blessed the faithful in the morning of Easter Sunday and went to bed in the night.
He passed away peacefully less than two hours after his health irreversibly deteriorated.
The Vatican yesterday gave a graphic account of his last moment.
He started to feel unwell at about 5:30 a.m. (0330 GMT) on Monday and was promptly attended to by his team.
More than an hour later, he made a gesture of farewell to his ever-present nurse, Massimiliano Strappetti, and slipped into a coma, the Vatican’s official media channel said.
His time of death was given as 7:35 a.m.
The cause of death was given as cerebral stroke and subsequent heart failure.
The pontiff was 88.
He spent five weeks in hospital earlier this year diagnosed with double pneumonia and appeared to be slowly recovering.
Yesterday, the Vatican released photographs of Francis body dressed in his vestments and holding a rosary, lying in an open coffin placed in the chapel of the Santa Marta residence, where he lived during his 12-year papacy.
Swiss Guards stood on either side of the casket as dignitaries, including Italian President Sergio Mattarella, paid homage to the first Latin American pope.
The body was taken into the adjacent St. Peter’s Basilica in a procession led by cardinals.
He will lie in state there until Friday evening at 7:00 p.m.
His funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday in St. Peter’s Square, in front of the 16th-century basilica.
It will be presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the 91-year-old dean of the College of Cardinals.
Leaders expected at the funeral include United States President Donald Trump, Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Argentine President Javier Milei, Belgian King Philippe and Prime Minister Bart De Wever.
Also expected are Prince William of England and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer; Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and East Timor President Jose Ramos-Horta,.
French President Emmanuel Macron, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and outgoing German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok, Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics, President Gitanas Nauseda (Lithuania), Polish President Andrzej Duda and Romanian Interim President Ilie Bolojan have confirmed their attendance.
King Felipe and Queen Letizia (Spain), President Karin Keller-Sutter (Switzerland), and President Volodymyr Zelenskiy (Ukraine) have also signified their intentions to attend the funeral.
Rome prepares for influx
It is not just the politicians – thousands of pilgrims are expected in Rome to pay their respects.
Authorities have been preparing for a huge influx of people.
Already, Rome has been inundated with pilgrims and the faithful streaming into the majestic square of St Peter’s Basilica to pay their respects.
Italy announced five days of national mourning during which flags will be flown at half-mast.
Paddy Agnew, a reporter with Catholic news outlet The Tablet, said the pope wanted a funeral that would “play down the pomp and circumstance, and play up the spirituality”.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Agnew explained that while there are “huge” logistical challenges to organising a papal funeral, “the Vatican has been through this before”.
“There were three million people or thereabouts who attended John Paul II’s funeral,” he said, noting that Pope Francis’s funeral also comes during the Vatican’s Holy Year.
“So lots of security preparations are already in place, and nothing has to be done, other than direct the traffic of all the pilgrims.”
Pope was ‘comforting’ figure for Palestinians
The Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, hailed Pope Francis’s support for people in Gaza and engagement with the small Catholic community in the war-battered Palestinian territory.
The Catholic Church’s highest authority in the region and a potential successor to the late pontiff, Pizzaballa told reporters in Jerusalem that “Gaza represents, a little bit, all what was the heart of his pontificate.”
Pope Francis advocated peace and demonstrated a “closeness” to the world’s poor and neglected, the patriarch said – positions that became particularly evident in Francis’s response to the war in Gaza.
Pope Francis repeatedly called for an end to the war.
The day before his death, in a final Easter message on Sunday, he condemned the “deplorable humanitarian situation” in the besieged territory.
How Pope Francis will be remembered
Pope Francis broadened the church’s appeal at a time of growing disenchantment towards the institution, which was embroiled in financial and sexual scandals when he was elected to the job in 2013.
Throughout his papacy, Francis stripped the Vatican of some layers of opacity and brought the poorest and the most marginalised back to the centre of the church’s focus.
Overall, he was excellent at infuriating conservatives.
But he also frustrated liberals because, while he opened the door to debates previously unthinkable in the church, his shift never translated into fundamental changes.
Reverend Munther Isaac, a Palestinian pastor in Bethlehem, said while Pope Francis was widely respected and beloved by many around the world, he was particularly appreciated by people living in the “context of oppression”.
“For us, as Palestinians, we truly lost a friend, someone who spoke with compassion, with full humanity about the plight of Palestinians,” Isaac told Al Jazeera.
“I would argue that his position on Palestine reflected his overall theology of solidarity with the marginalised and the oppressed.”
Francis’s position on Palestine started long before Israel bombarded Gaza, said Isaac, who pointed to the pope’s 2014 visit to Bethlehem, where he prayed at the Israeli separation wall.
It was “a prayer that touched many, many millions of hearts; a prayer that left an impression on us Palestinians that he sees our pain, he recognised the cruelty of the situation we live in, of the oppression of the occupation”, Isaac said.
“And we truly were touched by that moment.”
Institutional houses and plots of land sold in Kaduna State by the administration of former Governor Nasir El-Rufai have been revoked by the state government.
The revocation of the properties within Alhuda-huda College, Zaria; Queen Amina College, Kaduna and Government Commercial College, Zaria, was ordered yesterday by Governor Uba Sani.
Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Dr. AbdulKadir Mu’azu Meyere, who announced the revocation in a statement, said decision was taken for overriding public interest and for the common good.
He said efforts were being made to ensure all payments made to the government coffers in respect of the sold houses are refunded.
“In line with its commitment to human capital development and to ensure conducive atmosphere for teaching and learning in schools, the Kaduna State Government, under the leadership of His Excellency, Senator Uba Sani, had revoked all previous sales of institutional houses and land allocations within Alhuda-huda College, Zaria, Queen Amina College, Kaduna and Government Commercial College, Zaria for overriding public interest and for the common good.
“The revocation was approved last year and the revocation order has been conveyed to all allottees, while steps are being taken to refund amounts paid in respect of the sold houses as directed by His Excellency, the Governor of Kaduna State.
“As one of the key pillars of His Excellency’s Human Capital Development, Uba Sani noted that effective learning can best take place in a conducive atmosphere without distractions and sundry interferences.
“The governor has always argued that education is not just a leveler but also a ladder for upward mobility which can transform lives and improve livelihoods.
“To secure the future of our children, the Governor has been expanding access to education in the last two years, by bridging the infrastructural deficit at both primary and secondary schools across Kaduna State.
“In fact, one of the first decisions that His Excellency took upon assuming office was the slashing of the school fees of Kaduna State-own tertiary institutions on August 21, 2023.
“Apart from tertiary institutions, the Senator Uba Sani administration has also improved access by building new primary and secondary schools as well as blocks of classrooms since he became Governor of Kaduna State.
“Indeed, the Sani-led administration has built over 2,336 new classrooms, renovated more than 707 others and provided 3,704 and 30,742 furniture, for teachers and pupils.
“Similarly, Kaduna State Government, has sunk 51 boreholes, provided 918 cubicle toilets for both pupils’ and teachers’ use in all the Local Governments to make learning more conducive,” the added.
Kaduna Governor Uba Sani has directed the revocation of institutional houses and land allocations within Alhuda-huda College, Zaria, Queen Amina College, Kaduna and Government Commercial College, Zaria sold by the immediate past administration of Malam Nasir El-Rufai.
A statement on Tuesday night by the Secretary to Kaduna State Government, Dr AbdulKadir Mu’azu Meyere said, the houses and land allocations were revoked for overriding public interest and for the common good.
The SSG however said efforts were being made to ensure all payments made to the government coffers in respect of the sold houses are refunded.
According to him: “In line with its commitment to human capital development and to ensure conducive atmosphere for teaching and learning in schools, the Kaduna State Government, under the leadership of His Excellency, Senator Uba Sani, had revoked all previous sales of institutional houses and land allocations within Alhuda-huda College, Zaria, Queen Amina College, Kaduna and Government Commercial College, Zaria for overriding public interest and for the common good.
“The revocation was approved last year and the revocation order has been conveyed to all allottees, while steps are being taken to refund amounts paid in respect of the sold houses as directed by His Excellency, the Governor of Kaduna State.
“As one of the key pillars of His Excellency’s Human Capital Development, Senator Uba Sani noted that effective learning can best take place in a conducive atmosphere without distractions and sundry interferences.
“The Governor has always argued that education is not just a leveller but also a ladder for upward mobility which can transform lives and improve livelihoods.
“To secure the future of our children, the Governor has been expanding access to education in the last two years, by bridging the infrastructural deficit at both primary and secondary schools across Kaduna State.
“In fact, one of the first decisions that His Excellency took upon assuming office was the slashing of the school fees of Kaduna State-own tertiary institutions on August 21, 2023.
“Apart from tertiary institutions, the Senator Uba Sani administration has also improved access by building new primary and secondary schools as well as blocks of classrooms since he became Governor of Kaduna State.
“Indeed, the Senator Uba Sani administration has built over 2,336 new classrooms, renovated more than 707 others and provided 3,704 and 30,742 furniture, for teachers and pupils respectively.
“Similarly, Kaduna State Government, has sunk 51 boreholes, provided 918 cubicle toilets for both pupils’ and teachers’ use in all the Local Governments to make learning more conducive.”
The 2023 Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo, has told former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Malam Nasir El-Rufai and other opposition leaders that they cannot hijack the party for personal fight against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He told them that SDP is not a “getaway car for a conspiracy and robbery”.
Adebayo spoke on Monday night during the 50th birthday celebration of his wife, Queen Lillian Adebayo in Abuja.
The legal luminary, who said he was still in the race for the 2027 presidential elections, maintained that SDP is not a platform for personal political battles.
“Of course, my party knows that I’m running for the 2027 election. As for the coalition, we are listening to them. We don’t want to be a getaway car for a conspiracy and robbery we did not plan. That’s not available.
“If the coalition is for the Nigerian people, the SDP is available. But if it is just a crime centre for disappointed Tinubu followers, they should go back to him and resolve their differences there. Don’t come to SDP to borrow us for a fight we are not involved in,” he added.
On the killings in Benue and Plateau, Adebayo advised the president to restrategise the security architecture to address insecurity in the country.
In the same vein, former African Action Congress (AAC) Presidential Candidate, Omoyele Sowore took a swipe on the ongoing coalition move by opposition elements ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Sowore, who spoke with newsmen, said he was in support of coalition and opposition in a democratic setting but argued that the individuals involved in the current coalition move lack the credibility to champion real change.
“I support coalitions and opposition. But not the kind that has people like El-Rufai. When the time comes, the moment they are offered what they want, they will go back to where they came from.
“The APC was a coalition. Did you forget? The people who are asking to form another coalition were former APC members. In fact, most of them were Buhari cabinet members who are supposed to be in prison forming a union of prisoners, not coalitions,” he stated.
Chairman Forum SDP State Chairmen and Lagos Chairman, Hon. Femi Olaniyi Ferrari, said the party provides Nigerians with the opportunity to address the country’s challenges.
“We can all understand what Nigerians are going through. We asked for change, but the change has shortchanged us,” he said.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) yesterday advised heavily-indebted countries to seek debt restructuring where necessary to restore macroeconomic stability and sustainable growth.
In a report titled: “Toward a Better Balanced and More Resilient World Economy” released ahead of the IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington D.C., IMF Managing Director, Kristalina Georgieva, said countries with unsustainable public debt need to move proactively to restore sustainability.
According to her, where necessary, countries must take the difficult route of debt restructuring.
She called on countries to take resolute fiscal action to rebuild policy space, setting out gradual adjustment paths that respect fiscal frameworks.
Georgieva also outlined grave implications of trade tensions and tariff hikes to global economies, including putting many countries in tighter financial conditions.
She cautioned that protracted high uncertainty raises the risk of financial market stress.
The IMF chief explained that smaller advanced economies and most emerging markets rely more on trade for their growth, and are thus more exposed to tighter financial conditions.
She said that low-income countries face the additional challenge of collapsing aid flows as donor countries pivot to dealing with domestic concerns.
Georgieva therefore, called on emerging market economies to preserve exchange rate flexibility as a shock absorber.
According to her, to protect price stability, monetary policy must remain agile and credible, supported by a strong commitment to central bank independence.
She said central bankers must keep an eagle eye on the data, including higher inflation expectations in some cases, noting that in finance, strong regulation and supervision remain essential to keep banks safe while rising risks from non-banks must be monitored and contained.
She said: “Policymakers can look to the IMF’s Integrated Policy Framework for insights on how and when temporary measures may be warranted. Tighter budget constraints will entail difficult choices everywhere—but nowhere more so than in low-income countries. Here, weak revenues necessitate stronger efforts for domestic resource mobilization, but also call for support from international partners—both to improve capacity for reforms and to secure crucial financial assistance”.
Explaining the impacts of these tensions, she said that uncertainty is costly.
Georgieva said: “The complexity of modern supply chains means imported inputs feed into a broad range of domestic products. The cost of one item can be affected by tariffs in dozens of countries. In a world of bilateral tariff rates, each of which may be moving up or down, planning becomes difficult. “The result? Ships at sea not knowing which port to sail to; investment decisions postponed; financial markets volatile; precautionary savings up. The longer uncertainty persists, the larger the cost.”
According to her, rising trade barriers hit growth upfront. She said that tariffs, like all taxes, raise revenue at the expense of reducing and shifting activity—and evidence from past episodes suggests higher tariff rates are not paid by trading partners alone. Importers pay some part through lower profits, and consumers pay some part through higher prices.
She added: “By raising the cost of imported inputs, tariffs act upfront. Of course, if domestic markets are large, they also create incentives for foreign firms to respond with inward investment, bringing in new activity and new jobs. This, however, takes time.”
Georgieva said protectionism erodes productivity over the long run, especially in smaller economies.
According to her, shielding industries from competition reduces incentives for efficient resource allocation.
Georgieva said: “Past productivity and competitiveness gains from trade erode. Entrepreneurship gives way to special pleadings for exemptions, protection, and state support. This hurts innovation. But again, if domestic markets are large and domestic competition is vibrant, negative effects can be mitigated.”
She noted that that ultimately, trade is like water given that when countries put up obstacles in the form of tariff and nontariff barriers, the flow diverts.
The IMF chief said that some sectors in some countries may be flooded by cheap imports; others may see shortages adding that trade will always go on, but disruptions incur costs.
As trade tensions flared, global stock prices dropped, meaning that the world is currently in a phase of sudden and sweeping shifts.
“Trade tensions are like a pot that was bubbling for a long time and is now boiling over. To a large extent, what we see is the result of an erosion of trust—trust in the international system, and trust between countries,” Georgieva said.
She said that global economic integration has lifted vast numbers of people out of poverty and made the world as a whole better off, but not everyone benefitted.
Georgieva said: “Communities were hollowed out by jobs going overseas. Wages were repressed by the growing availability of low-cost labor. Prices went up when global supply chains were interrupted. Many blame the international economic system for the perceived unfairness in their lives.”
“Trade distortions—tariff and nontariff barriers—have fed negative perceptions of a multilateral system seen to have failed to deliver a level playing field.”
She said the feeling of unfairness in some places feeds the narrative that while some countries play by the rules, others game the system without penalty.
The beat stopped for Pope Francis early yesterday, less than 24 hours after celebrating Easter with the faithful. He was 88.
“Brothers and sisters, happy Easter.” That was the Pontiff’s message to the thousands of worshippers with a trembling voice on Easter Sunday.
At 9:45 am local time in Rome, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, announced the death of Pope Francis from the Casa Santa Marta.
He said: “Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis.
“At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father.
“His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of His Church.
“He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage, and universal love, especially in favour of the poorest and most marginalised.
“With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God.”
The cause of death was given as cerebral stroke and subsequent heart failure.
A death certificate published by the Vatican said the cerebral stroke led to a coma and irreversible heart failure.
Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, told journalists later yesterday that the late Pope’s body could be transferred to St. Peter’s Basilica tomorrow morning so that the faithful may pray before his mortal remains.
“The translation of the Holy Father’s mortal remains to the Vatican Basilica, for the veneration of all the faithful, may take place on the morning of Wednesday, April 23, 2025, according to the arrangements that shall be determined and communicated tomorrow, following the first Congregation of the Cardinals,” Bruni said.
The Pope was admitted to the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic Hospital on February 14 after suffering from a bout of bronchitis for several days.
His clinical situation worsened, and his doctors diagnosed bilateral pneumonia on February 18.
After 38 days in the hospital, the late Pope returned to his Vatican residence at the Casa Santa Marta to continue his recovery.
Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina, made history in 2013 when he became the first Jesuit and Latin American to lead the Catholic Church.
He was widely respected for his progressive stances on social issues and his efforts to reform the Vatican bureaucracy.
His death has sparked a global outpouring of tributes from world leaders, religious figures, and humanitarian organisations.
Images across the world indicated the shock that greeted the Pope’s death, despite his ailing health.
From Europe to South America to Africa and the Americas, it was all mourning over his death.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other world leaders paid tributes to the Pontiff, remarkably for his humility.
The President, in his statement, called on the world to honour the late Pope Francis not only through tributes but concrete action that reflects the values the Pontiff stood for: lifting the poor, healing communities, and defending human dignity.
“As we mourn the late Pontiff, let us also celebrate his legacy. Let us honour him not with words alone but with action: by lifting those who are down, healing our communities, and defending the dignity of every person,” President Tinubu said in a tribute he personally released yesterday.
President Tinubu, who in his 2025 Easter message expressed joy at seeing the Pontiff’s public appearance, described the timing of his death as a “sacred return to his maker at a time of renewed hope for Christians.”
He hailed the late Pope as “a humble servant of God, a tireless champion of the poor, and guiding light for millions,” noting that his spiritual leadership had transcended the boundaries of the Church to touch lives across the globe.
“He served the Church and the Master of the Church until the end.
‘In 2013, he stepped onto the global stage with a message of mercy, urging us to see the face of Christ in the marginalised, the refugees, the migrants, and the forgotten”, the President said, reflecting on Pope Francis’ enduring commitment to his faith and calling.
President Tinubu praised the Pope’s unrelenting advocacy for social justice, environmental stewardship, and peace, describing him as “an instrument of peace who deeply embodied the message of Christ: love for God and love for humanity.”
Former President Muhammadu Buhari expressed deep sorrow over the death of Pope Francis, describing the late pontiff as a global moral force whose compassion and commitment to the poor, migrants, and interfaith unity left an indelible mark on the world.
In a statement released through his spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu, the former Nigerian leader joined millions of Christians around the world in mourning the Pope.
Buhari praised Pope Francis for his exemplary leadership of the Catholic Church, highlighting his dedication to the welfare of the weak and displaced.
“Christians in Nigeria and all over the world would miss the exemplary leadership of the Church by a Pope who served the poor and the weak, and cared much about migrants and refugees,” Buhari said.
The former president noted the late pontiff’s relentless efforts in promoting harmony between Islam and Christianity, two of the world’s major faiths.
“He was a Pope who strove to build a beneficial, complementary relationship between the followers of the world’s two greatest religions, Islam and Christianity,” he added.
Reflecting on the Pope’s final public appeal for peace, Buhari referenced Francis’s call for an end to hostilities in Gaza just hours before his passing.
“Just hours before his demise, he made a call for an end to the war in Gaza.
“I hope Israel and Hamas will heed this call as a final respect to the Pope who had the distinction of bringing climate change to the Vatican and recognising the Palestinian state,” he said.
The former President also expressed hope that the next leader of the Catholic Church would continue Pope Francis’s legacy of humility, social justice, and advocacy for global peace.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, described Pope Francis as a towering spiritual leader and a tireless advocate for global peace, compassion, and human dignity.
In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Abdullahi Krishi, the Speaker expressed deep sorrow over the passing of the Pope.
Speaker Abbas condoled with the Catholic Church, the global Christian community, and the Holy See.
The Speaker said Pope Francis devoted his life to the service of God and humanity, using his papacy to bridge divides, uplift the poor, and call the world to a higher moral consciousness.
“He was not just a religious leader,” the Speaker said, “but a beacon of hope and a global statesman who stood for peace, unity, and the common good.”
He said even in his final public appearance during the Easter Mass at the Vatican, the Pope continued his impassioned call for an end to conflicts across the globe — a defining feature of his pontificate.
“From war-torn regions to forgotten corners of the world,” he added, “Pope Francis never ceased to raise his voice for justice, mercy, and reconciliation.”
Tajudeen acknowledged Pope Francis’s enduring legacies: his unwavering commitment to the poor and marginalised, his call for ecological responsibility through Laudato Si’, and his emphasis on mercy, inclusion, and the need for a Church that heals.
The Speaker said: “He changed the tone of the papacy, making it more pastoral, more human, more accessible.
“I join Christians, particularly the Catholic faithful across the world, to mourn the passing of this extraordinary leader, a unifier and a peacemaker, who used his God-given gift of leadership to inspire faith, hope, and love.
“Since his election in 2013, Pope Francis has made transformative contributions to the Church and Christendom at large.
‘”He led an exemplary life marked by humility, simplicity, and an unwavering dedication to God and the welfare of humanity.
“As we grieve the loss of this holy man, we remember his courageous voice, his tireless prayers for peace, his outreach to the world’s most vulnerable, and the moral clarity he brought to our troubled times.
“May his legacy continue to inspire leaders — religious and political alike — to pursue justice, compassion, and the common good.”
The United States President, Donald Trump, whose policies on immigration and mass deportation were openly criticised by the late pontiff, issued a short post on his Truth Social platform.
He said: “Rest in Peace Pope Francis! May God bless him and all who loved him!”
France’s president, Emmanuel Macron, said Francis had always sided with the most vulnerable – and had done so with considerable humility.
“In this time of war and brutality, he had a sense for the other, for the most fragile,” Macron told reporters on a visit to the French territory of Mayotte, adding that “great pain” would be felt at the pontiff’s death in France and internationally.
Italy’s prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, said news of Francis’s death was cause for great sadness because it marked the departure of “a great man [and] a great shepherd”.
In a statement, she added: “I had the privilege of enjoying his friendship, his advice, his teachings, which never ceased not even during times of trial and suffering.
“We say goodbye to the Holy Father with a heart full of sadness.”
U.S. Vice President JD Vance, who held a brief meeting with Francis in Rome on Sunday morning – the last dignitary he received – said his heart went out to the millions of Catholics around the world who had loved the pontiff.
“I was happy to see him, though he was obviously very ill. But I’ll always remember him for the homily he gave in the very early days of COVID. It was really quite beautiful.”
King Charles said he and Queen Camilla have “heavy hearts” after Pope Francis’s death, as they paid tribute to his “compassion” and “tireless commitment” to people of faith.
In a statement, the King said, though “deeply saddened”, their sorrow had been “somewhat eased” by the Pope being able to share an Easter greeting with the world on Sunday before he died.
The King and Camilla met the pontiff on a state visit to Italy earlier this month, which the couple said they remembered with “particular affection”.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the leader of Catholics in England and Wales, echoed the King’s comments, saying the Pope’s death “brings great sadness to so many”.
Joe Biden, who was only the second Roman Catholic to serve as U.S. President, hailed the late pope as “unlike any who came before him”.
He added: “Pope Francis will be remembered as one of the most consequential leaders of our time, and I am better for having known him.”
Javier Milei, the president of Francis’s native Argentina, voiced “profound sorrow” over the death of the first Latin American pontiff.
Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, said Francis’s “commitment to peace, social justice and the most vulnerable leaves a deep legacy”, while King Felipe praised the pope for bringing “solace to the poorest”.
Ireland’s president, Michael Higgins, said Francis’s recognition of the “essential dignity” of every human being had helped him confront issues such as the climate crisis and the plight of immigrants, as well as the child sexual abuse scandal that has rocked the church.
Poland’s president, Andrzej Duda, said Francis had been guided by “humility and simplicity” throughout his long pastoral ministry.
“He chose as his papal motto the words of his episcopal calling: ‘Miserando atque eligendo’ – ‘He looked upon him with mercy and chose him.’
“He was a great apostle of mercy, in which he saw an answer to the challenges of the modern world.”
The prime minister of the Netherlands, Dick Schoof, said Francis’s “sober way of life [and] acts of service and compassion” had made him a role model to many Catholics and non-Catholics alike.
“The global Catholic community bids farewell to a leader who recognised the burning issues of our day and called attention to them,” he added.
Germany’s chancellor, Olaf Scholz, said with the death of Pope Francis, “the Catholic church and the world lose an advocate for the weak, a reconciling and a warm-hearted person”.
The country’s president, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, said the world had “lost a shining beacon of hope”.
He added: “From the very first days of his ministry as bishop of Rome, he made it clear that the poor and marginalised, the displaced and refugees could be sure of his special attention, his special care and even his special love.
“Many who felt forgotten felt heard, seen and understood by him, the pope.”
The Israeli president, Isaac Herzog, offered his condolences to Christians in Israel and across the world.
“He rightly saw great importance in fostering strong ties with the Jewish world and in advancing interfaith dialogue as a path towards greater understanding and mutual respect,” Herzog said.
Although Israel’s relationship with Francis had become fractious over the past 18 months because of the late pontiff’s calls to end the war in Gaza, Herzog added: “I truly hope that his prayers for peace in the Middle East and for the safe return of the hostages will soon be answered.”
The New Zealand prime minister, Christopher Luxon, remembered Francis as “a man of humility” who had left behind a legacy that included “an unwavering commitment to the vulnerable, to social justice and to interfaith dialogue”.
The rightwing radical was a longtime critic of Francis, whom he notoriously called a communism-promoting imbecile and even “a son of a bitch”. However, the two men were reconciled last year during a brief meeting when Milei visited the Vatican.
Milei said: “Despite the differences that seem minor today, being able to know him and see his goodness and wisdom was a true honour for me.”
The president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said Francis “knew how to give hope, ease suffering through prayer, and foster unity”.
He added: “He prayed for peace in Ukraine and for Ukrainians. We grieve together with Catholics and all Christians who looked to Pope Francis for spiritual support. Eternal memory!”
Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, said Francis had won international renown as “a faithful servant of Christian teaching, a wise religious and statesmanlike figure, and a consistent defender of the high values of humanism and justice”.
India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, described the pope as a “beacon of compassion”, while Egypt’s president, Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, called Francis a “voice of peace, love and compassion”.
Starmer: he was a Pope for the poor
Keir Starmer, the UK prime minister, said Francis had been “a pope for the poor, the downtrodden and the forgotten”.
“He was close to the realities of human fragility, meeting Christians around the world facing war, famine, persecution and poverty. Yet he never lost hope of a better world.”
Stephen Cottrell, the archbishop of York and interim leader of the Church of England, paid tribute to a “holy man of God” who was deeply committed to the poor and to the environment.
“I remember, in the brief times spent with him, how this holy man of God was also very human,” Cottrell added. “He was witty, lively, good to be with, and the warmth of his personality and interest in others shone out from him.”
The former archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, who became the leader of the world’s Anglicans in the same year that Francis was elected pope, said: “From the very first days of his papacy, he was an example of humility.
“He constantly reminded us of the importance of serving the poor, always standing with those who faced persecution and hardship.”
Pinchas Goldschmidt, the president of the Conference of European Rabbis, also offered his condolences and recalled what he termed Francis’s “unwavering dedication to promoting peace and goodwill worldwide”.
Tibet’s spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, offered Buddhist prayers and wrote to the papal envoy to “express his sadness” at Francis’s death.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday returned to Abuja after a two-week trip to Europe. His plane touched down at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at 9:50pm.
He was received by senior government officials including Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) George Akume; his Chief of Staff (CoS) Femi Gbajabiamila; National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu; Budget and Economic Planning Minister Atiku Bagudu and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike.
Tinubu, who departed Nigeria on April 2, spent some time in Paris, the capital of France.
He maintained constant touch with key government officials, overseeing critical national matters, including directives to security chiefs to address emerging security challenges in parts of the country.
While in Paris, President Tinubu held a high-level meeting with the United States (U.S.) Department of State’s Senior Advisor for Africa, Mr. Massad Boulos.
His discussions with the U.S. official focused on deepening bilateral ties aimed at enhancing regional security and promoting sustainable economic development across Africa.
They also held talks on joint efforts to advance lasting peace in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with emphasis on multilateral cooperation and the role of regional stakeholders.
The meeting underscored Nigeria’s ongoing engagement with international partners in addressing complex security and development challenges across Africa.