IMO BREAKING NEWS BLOG

President Bola Tinubu has condemned the latest massacre in Plateau State, where gunmen killed at least 51 people in Zikke and Kakpa villages, Bassa LGA, in the early hours of Monday.

Describing the continued bloodshed as unacceptable, Tinubu urged Governor Caleb Mutfwang to address the root causes of the recurring ethno-religious violence and find lasting peace.

"I have directed security agencies to go after the perpetrators. Enough is enough," Tinubu said in a statement, reaffirming the Federal Government's support for Plateau in restoring order.

The attack, the latest in a string of violent incidents, saw homes razed and dozens injured. Local youths and Amnesty International Nigeria blamed security lapses and called for justice.

Meanwhile, troops of Operation Safe Haven rescued 16 kidnapped passengers during a late-night operation along Jos-Mangu road, repelling the attackers. 

Charles Bassey, a member of Nigeria’s historic 1980 Africa Cup of Nations-winning squad, has died at the age of 71 after a prolonged illness. He passed away on Saturday in his hometown, Eket, Akwa Ibom State.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) confirmed his death in a statement released on Monday by its General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, describing the loss as part of a “day of double tragedy” following the earlier death of team captain Christian Chukwu.

Bassey was part of the Green Eagles team that secured Nigeria’s first AFCON title with a 3-0 victory over Algeria at the National Stadium in Lagos on March 22, 1980.

After retiring as a player, he transitioned into coaching and managed several clubs, including Calabar Rovers, Mobil Pegasus, BCC Lions, Flash Flamingoes, Akwa United, and Wikki Tourists.

His passing brings the number of deceased members of the 1980 squad to nine. 

Hollywood is facing fresh uncertainty as China signals plans to scale back American film imports in response to escalating U.S. tariffs, Chinese journalist He Beiping has revealed.

According to reports, Beiping noted that the shift comes as China expands its global film partnerships, recently signing a cooperation deal with Spain.

The move, backed by China’s National Film Administration, has rattled U.S. studios like Disney and Warner Bros Discovery, whose shares have already dipped amid fears of reduced market access.

While China remains a key global box office, Beiping warns that Washington’s trade policies may be undermining its own success in film and tech services—sectors heavily reliant on foreign markets.

He added that China’s new multilateral approach, prioritizing mutual benefit, marks the end of U.S. dominance in global content distribution. 

The Presidency has downplayed a U.S. court order mandating the FBI and DEA to release records on President Bola Tinubu’s past drug-related investigation, calling the documents old and already public.

Presidential aides insist the ruling, stemming from a Freedom of Information Act request, offers no new revelations and poses no threat to Tinubu.

However, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar welcomed the decision, arguing that any findings proving Tinubu ineligible should compel him to resign for the sake of Nigeria’s image.

Atiku, supported by the PDP, stressed the importance of transparency in leadership, urging full disclosure on Tinubu’s background, forfeitures, and academic records.

The U.S. court ruled that public interest outweighs privacy concerns and ordered non-exempt files be processed by May 2. 

In a bold move to tackle the rising challenge of malnutrition and food insecurity, the Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, has joined forces with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and key stakeholders to kick off the implementation of the “Nourishing Nigeria” project.

The project was formally introduced during a strategic inception workshop held in Abuja. The workshop brought together players from various sectors to align on a roadmap for deploying nutrition-sensitive agriculture across the country. Representing the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Marcus Ogunbiyi, Director of Agricultural Lands and Climate Change Management Services, Oshadiya Olanipeku, emphasized the project's goal: to review and update the Agriculture Sector Food and Nutrition Strategy (ASFSNS) in line with evolving national and global standards.

Olanipeku explained that the initiative would set up Junior Farmer Field and Business Schools, targeting youth at the grassroots level with both technical and entrepreneurial training. A comprehensive policy and legal framework is also in the pipeline to ensure coordinated action against malnutrition and hunger. “Nutrition-sensitive agriculture is key to combating stunting, wasting, and underweight by encouraging diverse, healthy diets and improving the value chain for nutritious foods,” he said. “The initiative will support Nigeria’s broader food systems transformation agenda.”

He also highlighted Nigeria’s ongoing struggle with the dual burden of undernutrition and overnutrition, citing alarming statistics: an estimated 79% of Nigerian households face food insecurity, which often leads to unhealthy coping mechanisms such as skipping meals or opting for low-nutrient alternatives. “Micronutrient deficiencies remain widespread,” he added, “with anemia affecting over 30% of young children and pregnant women.” To address this, the Ministry is ramping up support for homestead gardening programs, distributing nutrition input packs to vulnerable households. These packs enable families to grow nutrient-rich, bio-fortified crops and vegetables right at home.

Also speaking at the event, Director of Food and Nutrition Safety, Nuhu Adamu Kilishi, called for a collaborative, multi-sectoral response to tackle malnutrition. “Agriculture, health, and education sectors must come together to create lasting impact,” he said. Lending legislative support to the initiative, Chairman of the House Committee on Food and Nutrition, Hon. John Chike Okafor, described the programme as timely and vital to achieving food security goals.

The FAO Country Representative, Dominique Koffy Kouacou, represented by Programme Officer Tofiq Braimag, reinforced FAO’s commitment to addressing food and nutrition challenges through its technical cooperation programme. The event was well-attended, drawing representatives from UNICEF, the World Food Programme, State Ministries of Agriculture, and development partners from across the country. 

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has dismissed concerns raised by the North-East Caucus of the National Assembly regarding the alleged exclusion of the region from the Federal Government's flagship agricultural initiative the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) program. The minister of agriculture and food security Sen. Abubakar Kyari made the clarification over the weekend while briefing the media. He noted that the North-East is not only included in the SAPZ program, but that several states from the region have already met the eligibility criteria for the second phase of the project. The response comes on the heels of public criticisms sparked by the recent groundbreaking ceremonies in Kaduna and Cross River states.

Setting the Record Straight

The Ministry emphasized that the SAPZ program, initially launched in 2022 following a conceptual design process in 2019, is structured around state-level expressions of interest and eligibility. “All states were invited to participate, and those that fulfilled the criteria were selected for Phase 1,” the statement said.

Eight states which includes Kaduna, Kano, Kwara, Oyo, Ogun, Imo, Cross River, and the FCT qualified for the first phase. However, the statement added that since the beginning of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, efforts have been made to ensure no state is left behind under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

According to the Ministry, Vice President Kashim Shettima has been actively engaged in mobilizing international support to expand the program’s reach. His recent diplomatic engagements led to a $1 billion commitment from the African Development Bank (AfDB) aimed at onboarding additional states.

North-East Representation in Phase 2

Despite initial appearances, the North-East is far from excluded. Gombe, Borno, and Bauchi states have already qualified for the first tranche of Phase 2 of the program, with two more tranches expected to follow. The Ministry urged other North-East states—Taraba, Yobe, and Adamawa—to expedite their efforts in meeting the required criteria.

“The sweeping statement by the Caucus that ‘the North-East was completely excluded’ is not correct,” the Ministry said, adding that written communication had been sent to all states not included in Phase 1.

Beyond SAPZ: Federal Support in the North-East

Highlighting broader government efforts, the Ministry also detailed a range of ongoing agricultural and infrastructural projects in the North-East, including:

Over 8,000 Gombe wheat farmers receiving subsidized inputs.

Irrigation and infrastructure projects in Bauchi in collaboration with NASENI.

A Farmer Empowerment Centre and housing projects in Adamawa.

The ACReSAL initiative targeting 1 million hectares of land restoration.

Solar and EV infrastructure to modernize agriculture and transport.

Soil testing labs under the Nigeria Farmers’ Soil Health Card Scheme.

The VALUE-CHAIN North Project, expected to benefit over 450,000 farmers.

“These are not symbolic projects,” the Ministry stressed. “They are deliberate, results-oriented interventions aimed at building a more inclusive agricultural economy.”

A Renewed Promise

Reaffirming its commitment to balanced development across all regions, the Federal Government pledged to continue engaging with stakeholders and state governments to ensure nationwide participation in agricultural transformation programs.

“We assure the people of the North-East and indeed all Nigerians that this government is unwavering in its commitment to equitable development,” the statement concluded.

The Ministry also noted that the Green Imperative Project (GIP), recently signed by the Tinubu administration, will further expand agricultural mechanization across all 774 local government areas.