IMO BREAKING NEWS BLOG

The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) has joined global leaders in mourning Pope Francis, who passed away on Easter Monday at the age of 88.

In a condolence message, NACA Director General Dr. Temitope Ilori extended sympathies to the Vatican, the Community of Sant’Egidio, the Catholic Caritas Foundation in Nigeria (CCFN), and the global Catholic community, praising the late pontiff’s enduring legacy of compassion and humility.

Ilori noted Pope Francis’s unwavering advocacy for the vulnerable and his support for the global HIV/AIDS response, saying his message of love, equity, and humanity in public health will continue to inspire.

Pope Francis, the first Latin American and 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church, reportedly died of a stroke and heart failure following a prolonged battle with pneumonia. 

Dozens of protesters under the banner of Concerned Citizens Against Corruption (CCAC) stormed the Attorney General's office in Abuja on Tuesday, demanding an investigation into former NNPCL boss Mele Kyari.

The group criticized the lack of action following Kyari’s dismissal by President Tinubu on April 2, raising concerns over alleged corruption, opaque refinery rehabilitation deals, and a reported $2 billion debt to Matrix Energy serviced via daily crude oil allocations.

They submitted a petition urging a judicial review of NNPCL’s agreements under Kyari and called for a commission of inquiry into refinery contracts.

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has refuted claims by Pastor Poju Oyemade that doctors in Nigeria are trained with just ₦500,000, calling the statement misleading and detached from reality.

Oyemade, in a viral sermon, compared Nigerian-trained doctors to their U.S. counterparts, suggesting Nigerians are ungrateful despite receiving subsidized education. NARD, in a statement on Monday, criticized the comments, highlighting the significant costs and challenges medical students face in Nigeria’s underfunded healthcare system. 

Four people were killed and two others injured on Monday night when gunmen opened fire at a local joint near Ilesha Baruba Motor Park in Kwara State. 

According to security analyst Zagazola Makama, about 10 armed men stormed the area around 9:30 p.m., shooting indiscriminately before fleeing. The victims include Alhaji Ja’awire, Abduljabar, Mohammed Nasamu, and one unidentified person. 

Security personnel responded swiftly, moving the bodies to the Ilesha Baruba Morgue and rushing the injured to the hospital. 

Pope Francis’s funeral will be held on Saturday, the Vatican announced Tuesday, as world leaders from US President Donald Trump to Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky said they would attend to honour the Catholic leader.

The Argentine pontiff, 88, died on Monday from a stroke, less than a month after returning home from five weeks in hospital battling double pneumonia. His funeral, which is expected to draw huge crowds, will take place at 10:00 am (0800 GMT) on Saturday in the square in front of St Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. Francis’s coffin — which he previously ordered should be of wood and zinc — will then be taken inside the church and from there to the Rome basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore for burial.

The date was set by the first so-called “general congregation” of cardinals on Tuesday morning, which kicked off a centuries-old process that culminates in the election of a new pontiff within three weeks. Earlier, the Vatican published the first images of the pontiff in his open coffin, ahead of its transfer to St Peter’s Basilica on Wednesday at 9:00 am (0700 GMT), to lie in state. The pope’s body was photographed during a service Monday evening in the chapel of Casa Santa Marta, the Vatican residence where he lived during his 12-year papacy, and where he died.

Francis was wearing his red papal vestments, a mitre on his head and had a rosary between his fingers. Tributes have poured in from around the globe for Francis, a liberal reformer who took over following the resignation of German theologian Benedict XVI in 2013. His home country, Argentina, prepared for a week of national mourning while India began three days of state mourning on Tuesday — a rare honour for a foreign religious leader in the world’s most populous nation.

Heads of state and royalty are expected for his funeral, due to be held at St Peter’s Basilica, with Trump and France’s Emmanuel Macron the first to announce they would attend. 

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of Economy, Wale Edun, is leading Nigeria’s delegation to the 2025 International Monetary Fund (IMF) Spring Meetings, holding from April 21 to April 26 in Washington, D.C.

The IMF Spring Meetings aim to foster macroeconomic stability, provide policy advice, and assist nations facing balance-of-payments challenges. The gathering includes representatives from 190 countries, bringing together finance ministers, central bank governors, and key economic stakeholders to discuss pressing global financial challenges.

The Nigerian delegation features senior officials from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Chief Executive Officers of financial institutions, and representatives from the private sector, civil society organisations, and non-governmental organisations. As Nigeria engages in these discussions, its delegation seeks to advance policies that safeguard economic stability, improve financial regulations, and enhance trade resilience.

The IMF and the World Bank—often referred to as the Bretton Woods Institutions—continue to play pivotal roles in shaping global economic governance. Established in 1944, the IMF primarily oversees monetary stability, while the World Bank focuses on poverty reduction and economic development. With increasing concerns about global economic turbulence, the discussions will address financial market uncertainties, trade disruptions, and strategies to promote inclusive growth.

One of the dominant themes at this year’s meetings is the impact of U.S. President Donald Trump’s sweeping import tariffs, which have affected trade relations globally since his return to office in January 2025. Countries are expected to engage in discussions on mitigating the effects of these tariffs on their economies and identifying pathways to sustain trade partnerships. Delegates will also focus on efforts to build a more resilient global economy capable of absorbing economic shocks and fostering sustainable development.

The meetings include: Global Economic Analysis – Providing insights into financial trends and policy adjustments required to stabilise economies. While the Bilateral Consultations session will facilitate discussions among member countries to negotiate strategies for economic cooperation, the Poverty Eradication Initiatives session will address economic disparities and evaluate financial programs aimed at reducing global poverty.

Additionally, the IMF will release its World Economic Outlook, detailing projections on economic growth patterns, while its Global Financial Stability Report will provide a comprehensive assessment of risks within the international financial system.