The Aguleri community in Anambra State was thrown into shock on Thursday after gunmen ambushed and shot dead a lawyer, Rolex Iloakasia, who also served as the community’s president general.

Iloakasia and his client were attacked by armed assailants on motorcycles shortly after winning their case at High Court II in Ekwulobia.

The attack occurred at Egbebelu village in Orumba North Local Government Area as the victims were leaving the court.

The timing of the attack, after Iloakasia’s court victory, has raised questions about the motives of the assailants.

The Anambra police spokesperson, Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident in an official statement, saying it involved “the murder of two individuals, one of whom has been identified as a legal practitioner who had earlier secured the bail of an accused person in a pending murder case at High Court II, Ekwulobia.“

Police preliminary investigation disclosed that the victims were “trailed and double-crossed by the assailants.”

The command said that “one of the victims survived the attack and is currently receiving medical treatment at a hospital.”

The statement noted that “The escapee has been debriefed by the Police and has provided crucial information that is aiding ongoing investigations and manhunt operations.

“The bodies of the deceased have been recovered and positively identified by their respective families.”

The statement revealed that a red Toyota Camry vehicle, believed to belong to one of the deceased, was recovered from the scene.

The command plans to deploy “tactical and intelligence teams to track down the perpetrators and ensure justice is served.”

It further pledged to inform the public on developments as the investigation progresses.

Economist and political activist Professor Pat Utomi has reacted to the legal action initiated against him by the Department of State Services (DSS) following his decision to form a shadow government.

Vanguard had earlier reported that on May 5, Utomi launched the ‘Big Tent Coalition Shadow Government’, designed to serve as a credible opposition to President Bola Tinubu’s administration. 

According to Utomi, the new body draws its membership from a cross-section of Nigeria’s opposition parties and is tasked with regularly scrutinising government actions, identifying policy failures, and proposing alternative solutions in key areas including the economy, education, healthcare, infrastructure, law and order, and constitutional reform.

In response, the DSS dragged Utomi to court, and accused the candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, in the 2007 presidential election, of attempting to illegally usurp the executive powers of President Bola Tinubu.

It told the court that Prof. Utomi’s action was capable of destabilising the country as it was intended to create chaos.

In a post shared on his X account on Friday, Utomi dismissed the allegations and said he remains resolute in his commitment to democratic ideals.

“I am heartened by messages of solidarity from across Nigeria on this shadowy business of chasing shadows of shadow cabinets. Reminds me of the Nigeria I used to know. I want to thank all. It’s energizing some want to put together 500 lawyers to defend me against the DSS.

“To worship money and power at the expense of the future all our children will live in, with no care for the peace and progress of those times is condemnable by all of decent conscience. They have a moral obligation to push back on such darkness.

“It’s amazing that we are chasing shadows while our constitution is unraveling aided by those in power. The constitution holds that those who defect from parties they were elected from MUST have their seats declared vacant. If DSS enjoys going to court, it should prosecute such.”

In earlier posts, Utomi, referencing his past involvement in pro-democracy efforts during the Sani Abacha regime, recalled chairing a conference on Nigeria’s democratic future at St. Leo’s in Ikeja, Lagos.

He wrote, “It was put as a question: Is this how democracy dies in Nigeria. The answer is in the affirmative. This is how democracy died in Nigeria. Where citizens cannot organize themselves to ask questions of their agents.

“Under Abacha we brought Nigerians together at St. Leo in Ikeja for a conference on the future of Nigeria. I chaired the planning which came out of the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria on the watch of then Fr. Kukah and Ehusani. Now for shadowing democracy hell comes.

“Where am I? Will arrive on June 12 and head to Abiola’s residence. My hands are primed for handcuffs and if the Aquino treatment from Marcos, bullet at the Airport is preferred, I submit willing like a lamb led to slaughter. Death is no big deal. 4 of my friends are in the morgue.

“What is certain is that Tinubu will not escape that same fate. He may have been in London when I faced the assassins under Abacha and been the supplier to Chief Enahoro and NADECO abroad of reports of my position on matters of the struggle but we all ultimately go the way of man.”

Utomi compared his stance to that of global freedom icons like Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, and Martin Luther King Jr., insisting he would continue to fight for democratic accountability.

“To the Spirit of Mahatma Ghandi, Martin Luther King Jnr, Nelson Mandela and the holy watch of St. Thomas Moore I raise the meaning of being for what is left of my time on this stage,” he wrote.

“I remember the showman of Science, Carl Sagan, as the NASA orbiter turned its camera to earth for the final time. A spec of dust, home to tyrants who have threatened Rivers of Blood; and also to all those we have loved. I am emboldened to chant Freedom now, if we die we die.”

A socio-political group, Abia Concerned Citizens, ACC, has accused the Julius Abure faction of the Labour Party, LP, of playing a script written for it by the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to destabilize opposition parties in order to enjoy a free reign 

The group specifically accused the factional chairman of playing the role of an “APC mole.” 

Director General of the ACC, Rose Ugoh, said this in Abuja, yesterday.

She explained that evidence of Abure’s treachery is contained in virtually every line of a statement by the factional National Secretary, Alhaji Umar Ibrahim, wherein he begged President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the LP crisis.

Ugoh  argued that all genuine LP members had accepted the Supreme Court’s judgment and were working towards reconciliation but that Abure and his cohorts were working towards destroying the party by externalizing the conflict.

She said: “What steps did he (Abure) take when Labour Party National Assembly members defected to the APC?

“Is it not this the same Abure who had the audacity to claim the party suspended the best performing governor in Nigeria, the best governor in the history of the South Est?

“Governor Alex Otti has transformed Abia State, leading in key sectors such as energy, security, and education.

“Otti has become a model for good governance in Nigeria, transforming Abia State across the energy sector, economy, industrialization, security, education, and more.

“We Abians can no longer allow these APC agents to continue to denigrate the people’s governor with their unguarded statements.”

She raised concerns about Abure’s declaration that his National Working Committee, NWC, has suspended key figures of the party, including the female Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Senator Ireti Kingibe.

Officers of the Delta State Police Command have nabbed a 49-year-old woman accused of drugging a nursing mother and absconding with her two-month-old baby boy.

The Delta State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olufemi Abaniwonda, disclosed this during a press briefing at the Command headquarters in Asaba on Thursday.

He confirmed that the baby had been rescued and reunited with his family.

According to Abaniwonda, the incident occurred on February 16, 2025, when the victim, a 20-year-old mother, embarked on a business trip from Koko to Warri with a woman identified as Mrs. Joy.

"On 7th April 2025 at about 10:00 hours, the DPO of Ekpan Police Station received a complaint that a young mother who travelled with one Mrs. Joy had been drugged with juice laced with sedatives. The suspect then absconded with her two-month-old son while she was unconscious," the police chief stated.

Acting on credible intelligence, the Ekpan Police Division launched an investigation that led to the arrest of the suspect.

Abaniwonda said the woman confessed during interrogation to kidnapping the infant.

"The baby, now five months old, was found in good health and has been handed back to his parents," he added.

The suspect remains in police custody as investigations continue.

New details have emerged about the technical error that affected the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), has revealed that the issue was caused by a service provider’s mistake, not by ethnicity or sabotage.

Speaking during an X Spaces session, JAMB spokesperson Fabian Benjamin dismissed claims that the error was aimed at candidates from the Southeast.

“It’s unfortunate. It’s something that we never envisaged,” he said.

Benjamin explained that the technical glitch was the result of a simple but serious mistake by a service provider hired by the board.

“What really happened? Let me just put it this way. Somebody was supposed to upload something, just as you send an email with your laptop and you see a sign that says sent and then you closed the laptop. The person just sent without waiting for it to deliver and then he shut down and left. This person, technically, is not even a staff of the board, but he’s a service provider that the board had hired, paid huge sum of money to do what he was supposed to do. I’m not supposed to go deep because it’s as if one is shifting responsibility,” he explained.

Benjamin stressed that the incident was not deliberate, but simply due to lack of caution.

“It was just carelessness, he didn’t understand the responsibility that was placed on his shoulder. It’s unfortunate that this thing happened and a section of the country was involved. It’s unfortunate that, to some extent, it will begin to cast some aspersion on our area of operation,” he added.

He also rejected claims that the issue reflected poorly on the leadership of JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede.

According to Benjamin, Professor Oloyede is known for being extremely involved in all aspects of the board’s operations.

“Someone of us feel like he’s too involved. He’s somebody that would want to know who even comes in at the gate. He’s involved in every aspect of the board. So the issue of whether incompetence or carelessness is not there. It’s just that no matter how involving you are, no matter how competent you are and no matter how engaging you are, as long as you cannot do the whole thing alone, certainly, somebody somewhere will let you down out of negligence,” he said.

Recall that in the 2025 JAMB UTME released last week Friday, over 1.5 million candidates scored below 200. This represents over 75% of the total number of candidates who sat for the exam. Following a review of the results, it was discovered that a technical error affected approximately 379,997 candidates, who will now have to retake the exam.

The trial of Simon Ekpa, the Biafran separatist leader, has commenced in Finland.

Ekpa was earlier arrested by the Finnish authorities over allegations of inciting violence and promoting terrorism through his social media channels.

He was arrested in November 2024 alongside four other people accused of the same crime.

In a statement issued by Finland’s National Prosecution Authority, Ekpa’s trial commenced after he was charged with suspected incitement with intent to commit terrorism and “participation in the activities of a terrorist group.”

The Finnish prosecutor said Ekoa had committed the listed crimes between 2021 and 2024 in the city of Lahti.

Although the prosecutor in its statement described the accused person as a Finn without giving out his name, YLE, a broadcaster in Finland, identified the defendant as Ekpa.

In addition, the prosecutor said it had dropped the charges against the four others arrested alongside Ekpa.

The Finnish authorities said the charges against the co-accused persons were dropped due to a lack of evidence.

Popular Nollywood actor and Lagos lawmaker, Desmond Elliot, has revealed that his entry into politics was made possible through the influence of former Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, who introduced him to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Speaking in an interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo, Elliot detailed how Oshiomhole facilitated his first meeting with Tinubu in Benin, marking a major turning point in his career trajectory.

“One day, Comrade Oshiomhole told me Asiwaju (Tinubu) was coming to Benin. When he arrived, Adams took me to the table where Tinubu was seated and said, ‘This is my son.’ Tinubu replied, ‘Yeah, he knows me.’ That was how the connection began,” Elliot recalled.

The Surulere Constituency representative at the Lagos State House of Assembly added that Tinubu, impressed by his passion and commitment despite his successful acting career, linked him up with Sunday Dare, then Tinubu’s personal assistant.

“He was surprised that a young actor like me was so interested in politics. For some reason, he liked me from the start,” he said.

Desmond Elliot revealed that his interest in politics dates back to the 1990s, when he began reading about Chief MKO Abiola.

Inspired by Abiola’s legacy, he said the desire to serve in public office began to grow within him.

“Even though I didn’t have much, I always bought newspapers to read about MKO. Something about his story just lit a fire in me,” he said.

He also acknowledged Fouad Oki, a prominent APC figure, for mentoring him during his early political development.

He said: “While I was still acting, I would visit Uncle Fouad in the evenings to discuss politics. That was part of my learning curve. My wife didn’t take it seriously then.”

Elliot shared a memorable visit to Tinubu’s home alongside fellow actors Jide Kosoko, Mike Ezuruonye, and Chinedu ‘Aki’ Ikedieze.

“We went to his house around 7 pm and didn’t leave until after midnight. He was sharing insights and lessons from his time in government. We were amazed,” he said.

The lawmaker also addressed his 2023 election battle with fellow actor Olumide Oworu, who ran under the Labour Party banner.

“I wasn’t angry with Olumide. He’s smart and from Surulere. What hurt was the colleagues who endorsed him without even speaking to me,” he said.

Elliot stressed the importance of continuity in legislative work, citing former Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila as an example of how experience builds capacity.

“You don’t see real change in one term. Gbaja grew in influence with time, and that’s how you build lasting impact,” he noted.

Parents of the candidates affected by the human error which led to a glitch in the 2025 Unified Tertiary and Matriculation Examination have demanded the postponement of the planned resit, which begins today, till June 2025.

A post from the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board on its official X handle on Thursday stated, “…all the affected candidates will be contacted to reprint their examination slips towards retaking their examinations starting from 16th May, 2025 (today).”

One of the affected students posted on X the SMS he received after getting notification for the examination.

“You have been scheduled to sit the 2025 UTME Resit examination slated for Friday, May 16, 2025 by 12:00 pm. To know your centre, reprint your Examination slip by visiting.”

Some of the parents, who spoke in separate interviews with The PUNCH on Thursday, cited the traumatic experiences of the candidates, the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination, and the distance to the exam centres, among other issues.

On Wednesday, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board admitted a technical error that affected over 300,000 candidates who sat for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.

Speaking during a press conference, the JAMB Registrar, Is-haq Oloyede, a professor, expressed deep regret over what he described as a disappointing setback in the exercise that had, until the glitch, been considered one of the most successful in recent years.

“So, I appeal to the candidates and those affected by the error of our system to accept this explanation as the truth of the matter without embellishment, please. I apologise and take full responsibility, not just in words,” he said.

Oloyede said the issue affected 157 examination centres across Lagos and the South-East.

He said the glitch affected 206,610 candidates across 65 centres in Lagos State and 173,387 candidates in 92 centres across South East states.

While 54.37 per cent of candidates affected are in Lagos, the remaining 45.63 per cent are spread across Anambra, Imo, Abia, Ebonyi, and Enugu States.

Oloyede explained that the glitch was caused by a failed patch meant to update examination servers in the region.

He assured that the affected candidates could retake the examination between May 16 and May 18, 2025.

A parent, Mr Bukola Omoniyi noted that his child had since returned to his school located in Oyo state.

“This is not fair. You can’t say the children have to sit the examination immediately. They are currently doing WAEC. We got a text today (Thursday)  saying he has to sit the examination on Saturday. Meanwhile, he is already in Ibadan. How will he rush down to Lagos because his centre is in Lagos, and then rush back to school? This is unfair.

“No one cares about the psychological trauma on these children. This was no fault of theirs, why should they be made to suffer consequences for what they know not?” he queried.

Another parent, Mrs Aisha Okikiola, noted that her child, who was preparing for a WAEC paper, had to start reading for UTME, which she said is confusing the candidate.

 “My child is to resit the UTME on Saturday, and she has WAEC on Sunday. The two examination bodies have different syllabi. Do you know how difficult it is trying to juggle two different syllabuses at the same time?  We are asking that JAMB postpone the examination till June, when the children will be done with their WAEC, so that they will have enough time to rest,” she demanded.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, a principal in one of the Catholic schools in Enugu noted that the school reached out to parents to discuss arrangements for the UTME, describing the situation as taxing.

She stated, “It has not been easy for us. Almost all our students are having the resit. This is WAEC time. Some of them are scared because they have to start reading afresh. It will be kind and reasonable if JAMB can shift this examination to June, when the students would have concluded their WAEC. Some of them have centres very far away from here. We are talking about safety here.”

A parent in Imo, Mr Felix Onuoha, said, “I subscribe to the suggestion that the resit be moved to after WAEC so that the students will have ample time to study. What happened is not their fault, and they should not be punished for it.”

The National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria urged parents to cooperate with the examination body to ensure the success of the planned resit scheduled for students affected by the glitch.

The National President of NAPTAN, Haruna Danjuma, said this in an interview with our correspondent in Abuja.

He noted, “What happened is painful to all. The traumatic experience on the part of the candidates and all but the most important thing is that JAMB acknowledged its mistake and has announced the plan to reschedule the examination for all the affected candidates. Our plea is for parents to please cooperate with JAMB to ensure that this resit is a success.”

The spokesperson for JAMB, Dr Fabian Benjamin, could not be reached for a reaction to the parents’ demand as calls to his phone rang out. He had yet to respond to a message as of the time of filing this report.

Over 1.9 million candidates sat this year’s UTME, of which 1.5mn scored less than 200 points out of the 400 obtainable points.

However, some candidates protested their low scores, insisting they performed better than their results showed. Other Nigerians on social media also criticised JAMB for what they described as a massive failure.

But Oloyede said the UTME statistics are consistent with what has been obtainable over the years.

Last year, 76 per cent of candidates who participated in the UTME scored less than 200 points.

According to JAMB, in 2022, 1.3mn candidates out of 1.7mn or 78 per cent, who took the 2022 UTME scored below 200.

In 2021, only 803 candidates out of 1.3 million –or 0.06 per cent– who sat the 2021 UTME scored above 300, Oloyede said at the time.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives on Thursday resolved to probe the technical error that led to the mass failure in the 2025 UTME.

The decision followed the consideration and adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Osun lawmaker,  Adewale Adebayo.

 A breakdown of the results released on May 9, 2025, showed that more than 78 per cent of candidates scored less than 200 points out of the 400 maximum points obtainable in the examination.

This development led to public outcry, with some Nigerians calling for the resignation of the JAMB Registrar. 

Moving the motion, Adebayo said many Nigerians have suffered losses while travelling long distances to their UTME examination centres.

In his contribution, the member representing Jibia/Kaita Federal Constituency, Katsina State, Sada Soli, urged the House to commend the JAMB registrar for admitting the technical error and apologising to Nigerians.

He said the JAMB boss has “demonstrated integrity” and increased the board’s financial contribution to the federal purse since his appointment.

However, Tajudeen Abbas, Speaker of the House, said it would be up to the committee investigating to decide whether or not to commend the JAMB registrar.

The motion was unanimously adopted when it was subjected to a voice vote by Abbas.

Consequently, the House asked the Federal Government to establish CTB centres across all local government areas across the country.

In a related development, the National Orientation Agency and the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria have commended the JAMB for its transparency in admitting the errors in the 2025 UTME, describing the move as a rare display of accountability in public service.

In a statement on Thursday by NOA’s Deputy Director, Media and Communication, Paul Odenyi, the agency praised the JAMB registrar for what he called his “integrity and courage” in publicly acknowledging lapses in the examination process.

 The statement quoted the Director General of the NOA, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, as stating that the gesture aligns with the principles of the National Values Charter, which mandates public institutions to uphold transparency and accountability.

It said, “The National Orientation Agency has applauded the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board for its exceptional transparency and accountability in addressing the challenges that followed the recently concluded 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination. The agency described JAMB’s open acknowledgement of its lapses as a rare and commendable act of leadership, one that reflects a deep sense of institutional responsibility.

 “The Director General of the NOA, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, lauded the Registrar of JAMB, Professor Is-haq Oloyede, for demonstrating the kind of integrity and courage that public leadership demands. He noted that this act of forthrightness is not only a testament to Professor Oloyede’s personal values but also aligns with the principles of the National Values Charter, which enjoins all public institutions to operate with the highest standards of transparency and accountability.’’

 However, the NOA boss stressed that mere acknowledgement of mistakes was not enough. He urged JAMB to go further by providing concrete remedies to affected candidates, including appropriate compensation to cushion the stress and anxiety caused by the glitches.

“While recognition of mistakes is the first step, redemption and restitution are other necessary steps to be taken. Having decided to provide another opportunity to the candidates as a way of redeeming the errors, it is imperative that JAMB considers appropriate compensation to mitigate the stress and anxiety these candidates may have suffered,” he said.

Onilu emphasised that JAMB’s example should serve as a blueprint for other public institutions, arguing that public trust is earned when agencies own their mistakes and act swiftly to correct them.

“JAMB’s example should serve as a model for other public institutions. When institutions own their mistakes and act to correct them, they earn the respect and confidence of the people,” he stated.

He reiterated the NOA’s commitment to promoting a governance culture built on trust, integrity, and mutual respect, insisting that such values are non-negotiable pillars of a just society.

“Every citizen, whether in public service or private life, has a duty to uphold the core values of integrity, accountability, and transparency. These values are not optional—they are the pillars of a just and equitable society,” the statement read.

The Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria, Lagos State Area Unit,  similarly commended the JAMB registrar for his honesty and accountability in addressing the technical glitches that marred the conduct of the 2025 UTME.

At a press conference in Lagos on Wednesday, the Society described Oloyede’s public admission of fault and his apology over the glitches that affected over 379,000 candidates across 157 centres as a “rare act of responsible leadership in Nigeria’s education sector.”

According to MSSN Lagos, the registrar’s swift move to reschedule affected candidates for fresh exams on Friday and Saturday, and his openness about the failure of one of JAMB’s service providers, demonstrated “transparency, accountability, and a genuine concern for the well-being of Nigerian students.”

However, the MSSN reasoned that apologies must not replace consequences.

“While we commend Professor Oloyede for his forthrightness, we insist that erring officials and negligent service providers must not go unpunished. Centres found to have contributed to this failure, either through incompetence or violation of procedure, should be delisted immediately. Those responsible must be held accountable in accordance with the law,” the statement read.

The Society also announced its full support for Miss Lawal Adenike, a teenage Muslim girl who has taken JAMB and PEFTI CBT Centre in Ibadan to court for allegedly forcing her to remove her hijab before being allowed to sit for her UTME on April 25, 2025.

Speaking on the matter, Kamoldeen Abiona,  the MSSN President, said the reported act was a clear violation of the girl’s constitutional right to freedom of religion, as enshrined in sections 38 and 42 of the  Constitution.

“Forcing a Muslim girl to remove her hijab to sit for an examination is unconstitutional, discriminatory, and traumatic. It is an act of religious profiling that has no place in a multi-religious and democratic society like Nigeria,” the statement added.

Lawal’s case, which has attracted national attention, is being pursued in court by her mother and legal representatives.

MSSN Lagos called on JAMB to investigate the incident and issue fresh directives to all Computer-Based Test centres across the country, guaranteeing the right of Muslim female candidates to wear the hijab during examinations.

“No student should be forced to choose between her education and her faith. Being modestly dressed and being educated are not mutually exclusive,” the group emphasised.

The group urged JAMB to restore public confidence in the UTME process by strengthening its internal checks, taking disciplinary action where necessary, and protecting the rights and dignity of all candidates, regardless of religion or background.

While reiterating its support for Oloyede’s administration, MSSN Lagos emphasised that accountability, fairness, and respect for religious freedom must be the guiding principles of public service in a diverse nation like Nigeria.

The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria has urged the President Bola Tinubu-led administration to demonstrate tangible action towards tackling the country’s socioeconomic and political challenges rather than dishing out mere promises.

PFN urged the President to show greater commitment to the implementation of his administration’s policies, beyond rhetoric.

The Christian body, which rose from a four-day special retreat in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, lamented that worsening security challenges and economic instability occasioned by spiraling inflation and high cost of living.

PFN’s National Secretary, Bishop David Bakare who spoke with journalists at the end of the retreat in Uyo on Thursday emphasised the importance of divine intervention, while also underscoring the role of leadership and governance.

He said “Our perspective at PFN is that Nigeria needs divine intervention. As a spiritual body, we are committed to praying for the country and the government. However, prayers must be accompanied by decisive action from leadership. ”

Bakare, who is also the President and Founder of Jesus is Life World Outreach Ministries headquartered in Zaria, Kaduna State, while noting Nigeria is going through difficult times like never before in her political history assured that PFN will continue to pray for God’s intervention and guidance.

“Nigeria belongs to God. We will continue to pray for divine guidance and initiative for our leaders, not only to know what to do but also to have the capacity to do it,” he said.

He noted that while the Tinubu administration had taken steps, such as the approval of forest guards and plans to deploy technology for border security, these initiatives must be backed by visible commitment and execution.

“These are promising policies, but the government must prove to Nigerians that it is serious about implementation.
“It should not just be about what the government says, it must be about what the government is doing,” he emphasised.

“Only then will the people’s trust be restored and the economy begin to recover,” Bakare stated.

Bakare added that government must be strategic, sometimes employing both dialogue and decisive action where necessary.

He stressed the need for investment in job-creating projects, warning that widespread unemployment fuels insecurity.

“When people are engaged meaningfully, there will be fewer idle hands to recruit into criminal activities. Let the evidence of commitment be visible; we will back it up with prayers, and Nigeria will be better for it,” he said.

Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State, who attended the retreat on Wednesday, praised PFN President, Bishop Wale Oke for maintaining a non-confrontational yet truthful approach in engaging government.

He also solicited prayer support for his administration. During the retreat, prayers were offered for Nigeria, the PFN, and Akwa Ibom State.

Bakare described the Uyo retreat as the first under the second term of Oke, who resumed office on February 11.

Previous retreats under his leadership were held in Nasarawa and Oyo states.

He explained that the Uyo retreat was convened to align the national leadership of PFN with the President’s vision, foster internal collaboration, and collectively seek divine direction for the nation.

“It was a platform to unite the leadership, gain their commitment, and harvest their contributions. It also served as a time to pray for the country, the body of Christ, and our host state,” he said.

According to him, over 90% of national executives were in attendance, with more than 70% arriving on the first day, Monday, May 12.

He also acknowledged the presence of PFN patriarch, Uma Ukpai, who played a foundational role in the fellowship’s formation and who, he said, inspired the choice of Uyo as the retreat location.

“He came to encourage, pray for, and strengthen our leadership. His presence was a great blessing, and his counsel was invaluable,” Bakare added.

The retreat featured daily devotions, teachings, revival sessions, and interactive visioning engagements, which helped deepen understanding and strengthen unity among the leadership.

he National Bureau of Statistics released its Consumer Price Index report for April 2025, revealing a slight easing in Nigeria’s inflation rate compared to previous months and the same period last year.

The headline inflation rate moderated to 23.71 per cent year-on-year, marking a decline from 24.23 per cent recorded in March 2025 and a sharp reduction from 33.69 per cent in April 2024.

On a month-on-month basis, the inflation rate dropped sharply to 1.86 per cent in April 2025, down from 3.90 per cent in March. This indicates a slower rate of price increases across consumer goods and services during the month.

The NBS report read, “The Consumer Price Index rose to 119.52 in April 2025, reflecting a 2.18-point increase from the preceding month. In April 2025, the Headline inflation rate eased to 23.71 per cent relative to the March 2025 headline inflation rate of 24.23 per cent. Looking at the movement, the April 2025 Headline inflation rate showed a decrease of 0.52 per cent compared to the March 2025 Headline inflation rate.

“On a year-on-year basis, the Headline inflation rate was 9.99 per cent lower than the rate recorded in April 2024 (33.69 per cent). This shows that the Headline inflation rate (year-on-year basis) decreased in April 2025 compared to the same month in the preceding year (i.e., April 2024), though with a different base year.”

Despite a slight easing in Nigeria’s overall inflation rate in April 2025, 10 states and the Federal Capital Territory recorded inflation rates exceeding 30 per cent, highlighting persistent price pressures in several parts of the country.

According to the latest CPI report released by the NBS, while the national headline inflation rate moderated to 23.71 per cent year-on-year in April, inflation in specific states remained alarmingly high.

Urban inflation, which reflects price changes in cities and towns where the majority of Nigerians reside, remained elevated at 24.29 per cent in April 2025, signalling that many urban households continue to grapple with rising living costs.

The monthly urban inflation rate was 1.18 per cent, a decline from 3.96 per cent in March. Rural inflation was slightly lower at 22.83 per cent year-on-year, down from 31.64 per cent in April 2024.

The month-on-month rural inflation was 3.56 per cent, marginally lower than March’s 3.73 per cent. The PUNCH observed that the states that witnessed inflation surpassing 30 per cent include Enugu, Kebbi, Niger, Benue, Ekiti, Nassarawa, Zamfara, Delta, Gombe, and Sokoto, alongside Abuja, the nation’s capital.

These figures highlight a stark contrast with the national average and demonstrate the unevenness of inflationary pressures across the federation. Enugu emerged as the state with the highest headline inflation, recording a year-on-year rate of 36.0 per cent.

This represents a sharp increase compared to previous months and was accompanied by a significant 12.3 per cent month-on-month rise in the all-items inflation index.

Food inflation in Enugu stood at 24.4 per cent in April, with a modest 3.9 per cent month-on-month increase, pointing to continued pressure on food prices amid broader cost-of-living challenges.

Kebbi State also reported persistently high inflation figures, with the all-items inflation rate at 35.1 per cent year-on-year, increasing by 5.4 per cent month-on-month. Food inflation in Kebbi rose to 33.8 per cent in April, up 4.3 per cent compared to the previous month.

This suggests that food price increases are a major contributor to overall inflation in the state. In Niger State, the inflation rate surged to 34.8 per cent year-on-year in April, reflecting a notable 14.7 per cent increase on a month-on-month basis, the highest monthly jump among the states reporting inflation above 30 per cent.

Food inflation in Niger was recorded at 24.3 per cent, increasing by 5.7 per cent month-on-month. Benue State presented an especially concerning picture with food inflation reaching a staggering 51.8 per cent year-on-year, alongside a dramatic 25.6 per cent monthly increase in food prices.

This sharp escalation in food prices is due to the persistent insecurity in the region. The overall all-items inflation rate in Benue was 34.3 per cent, rising 12.8 per cent month-on-month.

Ekiti State also recorded an all-items inflation rate of 34.0 per cent, matched by a similarly high food inflation rate of 34.0 per cent year-on-year. Month-on-month, prices rose by 11.0 per cent for all items and 16.7 per cent for food.

Nassarawa State’s inflation profile featured a year-on-year increase of 33.3 per cent in the all-items index, with an especially sharp monthly rise of 16.0 per cent.

Food inflation, at 23.3 per cent year-on-year, also rose by 7.4 per cent month-on-month. Zamfara State reported an annual all-items inflation rate of 33.2 per cent, with a smaller but still significant month-on-month increase of 4.6 per cent.

Food inflation was 24.0 per cent, rising marginally by 0.4 per cent month-on-month. Though the monthly food inflation rise was subdued, the persistently high annual rates point to entrenched inflationary pressures affecting consumer purchasing power.

The Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, registered an all-items inflation rate of 32.9 per cent year-on-year, with a 9.8 per cent increase on a monthly basis. Interestingly, food inflation in Abuja declined slightly by 0.7 per cent month-on-month to 22.2 per cent year-on-year, suggesting some stabilisation of food prices in the capital.

Delta State reported a 31.9 per cent all-items inflation rate year-on-year, increasing by 10.7 per cent month-on-month, with food inflation at 15.9 per cent and a modest 2.2 per cent monthly increase.

The divergence between food and all-items inflation suggests that rising prices in non-food categories such as housing, utilities, and transport are significant drivers of inflation in Delta.

Gombe State recorded an all-items inflation rate of 31.0 per cent, rising 9.0 per cent month-on-month, with food inflation at 26.4 per cent and a monthly increase of 5.8 per cent. These figures point to broad-based price increases affecting the cost of living in the state.

Sokoto State’s inflation stood at 30.5 per cent year-on-year, with a striking 16.3 per cent month-on-month rise, while food inflation was 25.3 per cent, increasing 13.1 per cent month-on-month.

These state-level inflation figures highlight the heterogeneous nature of inflationary pressures across Nigeria. While some states experience sharp monthly spikes, others have more gradual but persistently high inflation rates.

Food inflation, a key component of the CPI basket given Nigeria’s consumption patterns, remains especially high in states such as Benue, Kebbi, Ekiti, and Sokoto, with year-on-year increases well above the national average.

This places severe strain on households’ disposable incomes, exacerbating poverty and food insecurity. The national Food inflation slowed sharply to 21.26 per cent year-on-year in April 2025, down considerably from 40.53 per cent in the same period last year.

This marked decline is largely attributed to the change in the base year used for calculations, as well as falling prices of essential staples including maize flour, wheat grain, dried okro, yam flour, soybeans, rice and various beans.

On a month-on-month basis, food inflation edged down slightly to 2.06 per cent in April, a 0.12 percentage point decrease from March’s 2.18 per cent. The average food inflation rate over the past twelve months stood at 31.43 per cent, marginally lower than the 32.74 per cent recorded in the previous year.

Meanwhile, core inflation, which excludes the often-volatile prices of farm produce and energy, settled at 23.39 per cent year-on-year, down from 26.84 per cent a year earlier. Month-on-month, core inflation fell sharply to 1.34 per cent in April from 3.73 per cent in March.

Over the 12 months ending April 2025, core inflation averaged 24.91 per cent, up from 22.84 per cent in April 2024. Energy prices recorded a steep rise of 13.6 per cent month-on-month in April, following a 9.21 per cent increase in March.

Inflation on farm produce moderated to 0.95 per cent in April from 2.64 per cent in March, while services inflation also slowed to 2.20 per cent from 3.44 per cent. The goods index recorded a modest month-on-month increase of 1.89 per cent.

The NBS report suggests that inflation easing at the national level has not yet translated into relief for many Nigerians, especially those living in states with persistently high inflation.

Reacting to the development, the National President of the Association of Small Business Owners of Nigeria, Dr Femi Egbesola, said despite the slight easing in inflation, Nigeria’s Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises are yet to feel the impact.

He asserted, “The marginal drop in Nigeria’s inflation rate to 23.71 per cent in April 2025 is a welcome development on the surface, but for MSMEs, the impact is yet to be truly felt. While the easing of inflationary pressure, especially in food prices, offers a glimmer of hope, the realities on the ground for small businesses remain harsh. Input costs are still high, consumer purchasing power remains weak, and access to affordable financing is limited.

“Many MSMEs are still grappling with the cumulative effects of prolonged inflation, from dwindling sales to supply chain disruptions and eroded working capital. Until these gains are sustained over time and translate into lower operating costs and improved consumer demand, the MSME sector will remain under significant strain.

“We urge the government to complement these macroeconomic gains with targeted support policies for MSMEs, including tax reliefs, access to low-interest credit, and market access support, to ensure that the sector can begin to recover and contribute meaningfully to economic growth and job creation.”

In a similar vein, the Chairman of the Organised Private Sector of Nigeria, Dele Oye, said the decline in inflation hasn’t been felt.

He said, “Our members have not felt the impact. Too early to comment on the report.”

Meanwhile, the National Vice President of the Nigerian Association of Small-Scale Industrialists, Segun Kuti-George, said the decrease was too little for any meaningful or noticeable impact

“The Consumer Price Index is universally used to measure inflation rates, and the NBI claimed to have used the same. Hence, it would be said to be correct.

“However, the decrease in change is too little for any meaningful or noticeable impact. We in the manufacturing sector have not felt any positive change in the prices of our inputs. Prices of basic raw materials are still maintaining an upward trend. Therefore, we are very far from Uhuru.”

The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry qualified April’s 23.71 per cent inflation rate as unremarkable. While the chamber acknowledged that inflation dropping by 0.52 per cent from the 24.23 per cent recorded in March 2025 meant that inflation was not worsening, it ruled out any celebration, rather urging more focus on workable inflation-reduction policies.

“This is nothing significant statistically or even in terms of impact on all of the economic metrics,” Idahosa stated in a phone interview with The PUNCH. “If anything, the current interpretation is that inflation has remained flat. A drop of that kind of magnitude is not significant in any sense.”

Idahosa warned that there is no reason to rejoice at April’s inflation rate, stating, “No, there’s no reason to rejoice. There is just reason to be hopeful that what has started as a signal will begin to manifest in terms of a larger drop in inflation rates month-on-month.”

The LCCI president offered a cautious hope that a marginal drop in April’s inflation might result in a slow build-up to a sizable lowering of inflation rates, given the right conditions.

Idahosa explained: “The only thing to be said about (April’s inflation rate) is that it’s not getting worse. It’s flat, and it gives a sign that we are going to see a trend of gradually lowering inflation rates. It’s very gradual because the factors that are driving it are working very gradually.”

According to the LCCI, reduced transportation costs enabled by electric and Compressed Natural Gas vehicles will precede any significant reduction in inflation. However, Idahosa noted that high costs have slowed the pace of converting to these alternative energy sources.

“The factors that ensure we are reducing the cost of transportation include getting more CNG buses and electric vehicles, obviously takes a lot of cost to convert to, whether they are buses in a state like Lagos and a few other states that are bringing out electric vehicles,” he added.

The LCCI predicted a consistent drop in inflation over four to five months, noting that the forces that have kept inflation flat will continue to work until the country sees a significant drop.

Further, Idahosa observed that, with April’s inflation rate, any private sector expectations of the Monetary Policy Committee loosening interest rates are dashed.

“(April’s drop) has no immediate impact on interest rates. There is no reason to expect any significant drop in interest rates,” he asserted. “What the business community is looking at is a kind of signalling from the Central Bank of Nigeria to reduce the monetary policy rate by a very small amount; to send a message that in the future, MPR will slide down slowly but steadily.

“We do not expect any dramatic drops in the MPR and general interest rates, seeing we are in a plateau and just coasting around where we are in the economy now.”

Addressing the root causes, including improving agricultural productivity, enhancing supply chain efficiency, stabilising energy prices, and boosting market competition, will be essential in curbing inflationary pressures.

The World Bank has projected that Nigeria’s inflation rate will average 22.1 per cent in 2025, attributing the anticipated decline to the Central Bank of Nigeria’s tight monetary stance aimed at restoring price stability and anchoring inflation expectations.

The projection was contained in a statement published Monday on the World Bank’s website, following the formal launch of the latest edition of the Nigeria Development Update report in Abuja.

The biannual report, titled “Building Momentum for Inclusive Growth,” assesses recent economic trends and policy responses, and outlines priorities for sustaining reforms and promoting inclusive growth.

According to the report, while macroeconomic indicators have improved significantly, particularly GDP growth, revenue mobilisation, and fiscal consolidation, headline inflation remains a pressing concern.

“The report further adds that inflation has remained high and sticky but is expected to fall to an annual average of 22.1 per cent in 2025, as a sustained tight stance firmly establishes monetary policy credibility and dampens inflationary expectations,” the statement read.

The World Bank identified the major drivers of elevated inflation in recent years to include the removal of petrol subsidies, exchange rate unification, rising logistics and energy costs, and recurring food supply disruptions.

However, it noted that the Central Bank’s ongoing monetary tightening efforts are starting to show positive signs, with inflationary pressures expected to ease going into 2025.