President Bola Tinubu has voiced concern over the wave of unconstitutional changes in West Africa, warning that they endanger the region’s democratic progress and overall stability.

According to the president, these changes threaten the democratic gains the region has “painstakingly built”. He spoke on Tuesday while speaking at the official launch of the ECOWAS Golden Jubilee in Accra, Ghana.

The president, who was represented by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Ojukwu, reaffirmed the country’s unwavering commitment to democratic principles.

“The fundamental principles that bind us: democracy, the rule of law, good governance, and regional solidarity. These are not just ideals; they are the foundations for peace, development, and the dignity of our people,” he said, referring to the resurgence of military rule in the region since 2021.

Between August 2020 and August 2024, West and Central Africa experienced about nine coup attempts, four of which led to the military successfully taking over power in four West African Countries. The countries are; Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso and Niger Republic.

ECOWAS had condemned each coup, suspended offending members from the bloc’s institutions, and enforced targeted sanctions to pressure juntas back toward civilian rule.

This, however, created tension and eventually led to the official exit of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso. The three countries, after announcing their exit, formed an economic pact known as the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).

The junta in all three nations had accused ECOWAS of failing to support them in their fight against terrorism and of imposing sanctions that they claim harmed their populations. They also rejected ECOWAS’ request to reconsider their decision to leave the bloc.

Room for Reconciliation
However, speaking at the jubilee event, which marked five decades since ECOWAS was founded in 1975, the Nigerian leader called for renewed commitment to fostering unity and solidarity among member states.

“It is a time to strengthen the bonds that tie us together through shared values, collective responsibility, and a common vision for a prosperous region.”

He described the jubilee celebrations as a new chapter for the bloc while noting that member states must be willing to reconcile with the junta-led countries that pulled out.

“In hopes of reconciliation and reintegration, we must remain open and willing to engage in sustained, constructive dialogue with our estranged brothers, those Member States currently outside our fold.

“At the same time, there is an urgent need to implement bold, comprehensive reforms that will enhance our institutions’ effectiveness, relevance, and credibility to meet the challenges of today and the future,” he said.

The body of late Pope Francis is lying in state in St. Peter’s Basilica, which will remain open for three days until his funeral on Saturday.

World leaders, including President Donald Trump, are expected to attend.

His body was transferred to the Basilica during a procession earlier Wednesday. It was followed by a service led by Camerlengo Kevin Joseph Farrell, the cardinal tasked with arranging Pope Francis’ funeral and the conclave in the weeks ahead.

Francis’ coffin was laid at the Altar of the Confessio, a sacred space in front of the main altar above the tomb of St. Peter, the first pope of the Roman Catholic Church.

Cardinals in the Basilica approached the coffin in pairs to pay their respects. Afterwards, the first members of the public entered to visit the coffin and pay their respects.

The Basilica opened to the public at 11am local time (5am ET) Wednesday and will remain open until midnight.

It will open at 7am and close at midnight on Thursday and Friday.

Thousands of mourners were waiting outside the Basilica in St. Peter’s Square, in clear skies and spring sunshine, for their turn to view the body of the late Pontiff.

Before the procession, Camerlengo Farrell held a brief service in the chapel of Casa Santa Marta with a short antiphon, or chant, of hope.

“Let us thank the Lord for countless gifts that he bestowed on the Christian people through His servant Pope Francis,” the Camerlengo said in prayer.

“Let us ask him in his mercy and kindness to grant the late pope an eternal home in the kingdom of heaven and to comfort with celestial hope, the papal family, the church in Rome and the faithful throughout the world.”

After lying-in-state for three days, Francis’ funeral will begin at 10am local time (4am ET) on Saturday, six days after his death.

The last papal funeral, for Pope Benedict XVI in 2023, was also held six days after his death.

The Vatican announced that Francis’ funeral would be held outside St. Peter’s Square.

A string of world leaders, including US President Donald Trump, have confirmed they will travel to the Vatican for the service. French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, outgoing German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky are among the major European leaders travelling to the Vatican for the funeral.

A deserter from the Niger Republic Armed Forces who reportedly joined the Boko Haram terrorist group has surrendered to local authorities in Kindjandi, located in the Diffa Region of southeastern part of the country.

The former soldier who is identified as Abba Ibrahim, had been serving with the Nigerien Armed Forces since 2022 before deserting his post in Bosso on March 8, 2025, according to military intelligence sources.

Ibrahim fled alongside a fellow soldier, Bandam Dala, and subsequently joined a Boko Haram faction operating in the Lake Chad area.

Security sources according to a counter-insurgency expert in the Lake Chad, Zagazola Makama, disclosed that Ibrahim surrendered on April 21, 2025, arriving in Kindjandi on horseback and in possession of a rifle.

He was accompanied by an unidentified young man, whose details are still under investigation.

Ibrahim was taken into custody by the Nigerien Armed Forces on the morning of April 22, 2025, and is currently undergoing debriefing and interrogation by military intelligence personnel.

The Diffa Region has been a focal point of insurgents’ activities due to its strategic proximity to Lake Chad and its shared borders with Nigeria.

This area has long been a stronghold for Boko Haram and other extremist groups.

Operatives of the Adamawa State Police Command have arrested fake Vehicle Inspection Officer (VIO) in connection with job racketeering and impersonation.

The suspect, identified as Face Samuel, a resident of Army Barracks Road in Yola-North local government area was apprehended on April 22 following credible intelligence.

According to police report, Samuel allegedly posed as a VIO on multiple occasions to defraud unsuspecting victims of ₦350,000 by promising them employment with the Vehicle Inspection Office in the state Ministry of Transportation.

The report identified Blessing Kefas, Abel Samuel, Evlyne Amos, and Friday Adamu as victims that have fallen prey to the fake VIO official.

Police revealed that the suspect confessed to the crime adding that the VIO uniform used for the fraudulent activities was provided by an unidentified individual, whose identity is now under investigation.

Adamawa State Commissioner of Police, CP Dankombo Morris, has called on the public to remain vigilant and report individuals involved in similar criminal acts.

He assured that thorough investigation was underway to uncover additional victims and any potential accomplices.

Nigeria has reached a historic digital milestone, recording a peak Internet traffic of 1 terabit per second (1Tbps) for the first time, a landmark achievement signalling the country’s accelerating digital transformation.

Nigeria’s journey to 1Tbps has been gradual but steady. From a meager 5 to 10 megabits per second in 2008, traffic jumped to 126 gigabits by 2019, then 250Gbps in 2020, and 900Gbps by late 2024. The 1Tbps threshold was finally surpassed in March 2025. This growth stemmed from the proliferation of local data centers, increasing interconnectivity, and the presence of major global content providers, including Google, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft, Netflix, and TikTok, all now connected to the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN).

CEO of IXPN, Muhammed Rudman, who disclosed this during a media chat in Lagos on Tuesday, said the milestone signified a major leap forward in developing Nigeria’s internet infrastructure and underscored the critical role of local internet infrastructure in driving economic growth, innovation, and connectivity for millions of Nigerians.

“This milestone is more than just a number. It is a symbol of Nigeria’s digital maturity and our united strides towards becoming a tech-driven nation. By keeping local internet traffic within Nigeria, we reduce costs, improve speeds, and ensure our digital economy thrives with homegrown infrastructure. Achieving 1 Tbps is a significant victory for Nigeria’s ICT ecosystem, a breakthrough for domestic internet traffic. It serves as a catalyst, enabling millions of Nigerians to enjoy faster, more affordable, and resilient internet connectivity.

“To put it in perspective, a speed of 1 Tbps can support over 1 million concurrent Zoom calls, allowing students, entrepreneurs, and professionals to connect and drive Nigeria’s digital revolution. With 1 Tbps, more than 200,000 people can stream HD Nollywood films or movies on Netflix simultaneously without any buffering or interruptions. This speed enables the transfer of the entire contents of 50,000 smartphones—including photos, apps, and videos—in just one second. For Nigeria, hitting this milestone means reducing reliance on international bandwidth, decreasing latency for local services, and strengthening its position as Africa’s digital heartbeat. This 1Tbps achievement reflects years of collaboration across Nigeria’s ICT landscape,” he further explained.

The significance of this development extends beyond speed, even as the Internet Society (ISOC) revealed that Nigeria is now saving at least $40 million annually through domestication of Internet traffic, a cost avoided by routing data locally rather than relying on expensive international bandwidth.

Despite the milestone, Rudman highlighted Nigeria’s underdeveloped Internet infrastructure, adding that, “With a population comparable to Brazil, Nigeria has only 257 autonomous system numbers (ASNs), far fewer than Brazil’s 10,000 and South Africa’s 770. This is a major indicator of how few networks we have offering services.”

He noted that 99 per cent of Internet access in Nigeria is mobile-based, with many areas still stuck on 2G or 3G networks. “Some states with populations in the millions lack a single network with an ASN. That is a crisis. Even institutions with technical capacity remain unconnected. Out of 22 financial institutions, only the Central Bank of Nigeria is connected to IXPN,” he said, also criticizing the lack of interconnectivity in Nigeria’s universities.

Rudman envisioned regional hubs like Kano hosting Hausa content and attracting neighboring countries to interconnect through Nigeria, similar to South Africa’s role in Southern Africa. To achieve this, he called for investment in community networks, regulatory incentives, and support for local ISPs. “The number of ISPs in Nigeria is shrinking. That’s a red flag. We need to reverse that trend to truly become a digital leader,” he advised.

Rudman affirmed that reaching 1Tbps is just the beginning, adding that as demand grows for data-intensive technologies like AI, IoT, 5G, and immersive media, IXPN is preparing to scale its infrastructure, strengthen its network resilience, expand its reach to rural areas, and reinforce Africa’s digital sovereignty by partnering with regional IXPs to ensure more African data remains on the continent.

IXPN CEO extended gratitude to its stakeholders, including its members and partners, whose trust and participation have made IXPN a hub of innovation and growth. The exchange boss also acknowledged the support of government agencies, particularly the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), for its consistent backing and vision of a digitally inclusive Nigeria. Rudman credited the contributions of engineers, network administrators, and IXPN staff who have worked tirelessly to push boundaries, and expressed appreciation to global partners for their advocacy in supporting local peering initiatives across Africa.

He, therefore, urged more collaboration among regulators, stakeholders, and the media to identify and fix gaps in Nigeria’s digital ecosystem. “We are all Nigerians. We want Nigeria to be a better place. Let’s work together to solve this,” he appealed.

Surveys conducted among IXPN members over the years have shown a growing percentage of local internet traffic in Nigeria. A recent report indicates that some connected members can localize or domesticate up to 70 percent of their internet traffic through IXPN. “As more content providers, ISPs, banks, and public institutions localize their traffic through the IXP, end users benefit directly. We’re not just routing data. We are building the foundation for Nigeria’s digital economy,” added the marketing manager, Raphael Iloka.

A former presidential aspirant, Chief Dele Momodu, has identified former President Goodluck Jonathan as the only candidate who can match President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.

He, however, added that Jonathan would most likely not want to get involved in such political activities again.

According to Chief Momodu, Jonathan has demonstrated contentment with his achievements so far, as he never dreamt of achieving such political heights.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, added that the only other person Tinubu and his camp are afraid of going into the 2027 election is former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and that is why they have been attacking him politically in order to demarket him ahead of the polls.

Naija News reports Momodu made the submission during an interview with New Telegraph in which he spoke about the current political landscape in Nigeria and expectations for the 2027 election.

He said, “No Southern candidate can take on Tinubu except a Goodluck Jonathan, for example. But I doubt if he would want to stress himself.

“He’s not the kind of person; you can see that he’s a man of contentment, and he’s an intellectual who believes that even where he goes, he never expected to get to that level. So, it might be difficult for him. The only man they fear, and that’s why they’re already demarketing him in advance, is Atiku Abubakar.”

The adopted son of Nigerian billionaire, Obinna Iyiegbu, popularly known as Obi Cubana, Chidi, has taken action on his TikTok page following the mixed reactions that trailed his now viral ‘next of kin’ video.

Naija News reports that Chidi caused a stir after sharing a video on TikTok claiming to be the billionaire’s next of kin.

He captioned the video, “Nothing do my shoulder, I just realize say I be next of kin.”

In response, Obi Cubana posted a picture with his biological first son, Alex, on his official Instagram page, stating that he is his rightful next of kin.

However, Obi Cubana’s clarification sparked outrage online, with some netizens arguing that the socialite was right to address the misinformation, while others contended that the businessman should have handled the issue privately.

Amid the mixed reactions online, Chidi has not only taken down the video but has also locked his comment section on his TikTok page to avoid further comments on the issue.

Meanwhile, Obi Cubana, recently reprimanded his son for disrespecting the Labour Party (LP) 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, during his 50th birthday party.

Naija News reports that the event, which was held in Abuja, was attended by notable figures, including Kanayo O. Kanayo, Kennedy Okonkwo, Cubana Chief Priest, Comedian AY Makun, E-Money, Daddy Freeze, Pastor Jerry Eze, Jowizaza a, Zubby Michael and many others.

In a viral video online, Peter Obi was seen approaching Obi Cubana while his son remained seated.

When Peter Obi extended greetings to the son, Obi Cubana scolded his son for not standing up to greet the former Governor of Anambra State.

The General Overseer of the Salvation Ministries, Pastor David Ibiyeomie, has reiterated that Christians should not associate with the poor because Jesus detests poverty.

Naija News reports that Ibiyeomie recently earned backlash online after advocating for the rich and belittling the poor.

Despite the criticism, Ibiyeomie, in a follow-up statement, claimed that the Holy Spirit confirmed his stance on poverty, citing scriptures to support his view that poverty is a mentality.

The clergy advised believers to help the poor but not associate with them, likening it to avoiding sinners.

He said, “Some persons called me and said internet was on fire. I wasn’t interested, but out of curiosity, I checked. Then I asked the Holy Spirit to tell me if I’m wrong and I would take the blame.

“He was dictating God’s word to me verbatim in the bathroom, he said ‘you’re not wrong, you’re right.’ I said how? he said ‘I became sin for humanity, true?’ I said yes. He said ‘do you like sin’? I said No. He said you can only lead people to Christ, but you cannot be a friend to a sinner. He said if a believer is mixing with sinners, everybody gets angry. So if a believer mixes with the poor, everybody should be angry.

“He said, ‘I was made poor. so you can be rich’. So poverty is not of me.

“He said, ‘you can help the poor but don’t associate with the poor’. You don’t have money does not mean you’re poor. Poverty is mentality. And he gave me scriptures. He said ‘I paid a price for sin, poverty and sickness’. Why will you reject sin and accept poverty. And those who rejects poverty in line with God’s word, these three things will never be identified with you.”

A Chieftain of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Umar Sani, has condemned the approved ₦10 billion solar grid for the State House.

Naija News reported that the Presidency, through the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, Bayo Onanuga, defended the approved ₦10 billion to power the State House with solar, citing the United States’ White House.

In a statement on Tuesday, the former spokesman of former Vice President Namadi Sambo argued that the President’s decision to power the State House with solar would remove him from the realities of Nigerians on issues of electricity.

He decried that the President, rather than tackling issues of epileptic power supply in the country, has chosen to give himself energy security while Nigerians remain in darkness.

The 2019 spokesman of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organization noted that the ₦10 billion approved for powering the State House with solar could be used to upgrade the nation’s power infrastructure, which would benefit every Nigerian.

He said: “At a time when the Nigerian government is urging citizens and public institutions to cut costs, the decision by the State House to spend N10 billion on a solar energy project raises serious questions about priorities and leadership.

“Yes, electricity costs are high but this is a problem that affects every Nigerian, not just the presidency. The real issue is not the cost of power in Aso Rock, but the chronic failure of the national power system: generation remains stuck at around 4,000MW, and the Transmission Company of Nigeria cannot expand the infrastructure needed to wheel more power across the country.

“Rather than leading systemic reform, the presidency appears to be opting out of securing energy for itself while leaving ministries, agencies, businesses, and citizens to struggle under the weight of erratic supply and exorbitant tariffs. If everyone follows Aso Rock’s example and migrates to solar independently, what then becomes of the Ministry of Power, the national grid, and the billions allocated annually to improve them?

“This N10 billion could have been used to upgrade national transmission lines or fund community-based power projects that would benefit millions, not just one complex. It sends the wrong signal: that governance is about isolating those in power from the very problems they are elected to solve.

“Instead of being a model for sustainable energy, this project may end up being another example of a government building comfort for itself while the rest of the country remains in the dark.”

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has mandated the immediate detention of officers suspected of extorting ₦5.2 million from a traveler, following an instruction from the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.

Naija News reports that this directive was communicated in a statement issued by NSCDC spokesperson, Afolabi Babawale, on Wednesday, April 23.

The incident, which attracted attention through a widely circulated social media post, allegedly involved officers extorting this sum from a young man journeying from Ado-Ekiti in Ekiti State to Akure, Ondo State.

In a prompt reaction, the Commandant General of the Corps, Ahmed Audi, denounced the officers’ conduct, describing it as unprofessional and a breach of the Corps’ Code of Ethics and Standard Operating Procedure.

The statement indicated that Audi has ordered the officers to be taken to the NSCDC national headquarters in Abuja for detention, and a disciplinary committee has been formed to carry out a thorough investigation into the matter.

The Commandant General further stated that any officer found culpable following the investigation would face penalties in accordance with the Public Service Rules.

He emphasized that under his leadership, the Corps would not condone any form of misconduct, highlighting the importance of accountability.

“Following the directive of the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, for an immediate investigation into allegations of extortion involving officers of the Corps, the Commandant General, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Ahmed Audi, has ordered the immediate detention of the alleged officers.

“He further directed that the culprits be whisked down to the Corps national headquarters, Abuja for detention, to pave the way for the disciplinary committee set up to carry out a full-scale investigation into the alleged extortion report as directed by the Minister of Interior.

“The Corps helmsman hinted that the management of the Corps awaits the outcome of the investigation and promised to deal decisively with the officers according to the Public Service Rules if they are found guilty of the alleged offence,” the statement read in part.

Audi urged the public to maintain their collaboration with the Corps by providing pertinent information, emphasizing that citizens need not fear intimidation or extortion.

He reiterated his dedication to integrity and transparency within the service, vowing not to protect any officer engaged in corrupt activities.