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Insecurity: Zulum bans sale of petrol in Bama LGA

Bankole ABE
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Insecurity: Zulum bans sale of petrol in Bama LGA

BORNO State Governor Babagana Zulum has banned the sale of petrol in filling stations across the Bama Local Government Area.

Other places affected include Bama and Banki towns.

The order, which takes immediate effect, followed his discussions with security agencies as part of ongoing efforts to address security challenges in the area.

The governor’s spokesperson, Dauda Iliya, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday, May 10.

“I have directed the immediate ban on the sale of petrol in Bama town, Banki, and other parts of Bama Local Government Area with immediate effect,” Zulum said.

The governor warned that anyone found disobeying the directive would face the full wrath of the law.

He added that security agencies had been directed to clamp down on any filling station or individual violating the directive, and anyone found culpable would be dealt with accordingly.

Zulum reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to achieving lasting peace in the state and urged residents to cooperate in the fight against insurgency.

The ICIR reported that two years into President Bola Tinubu’s administration, insecurity remains a persistent challenge across many Nigerian states.

Despite promises to combat terrorism, banditry, and violent crimes, the country continues to witness killings, kidnappings for ransom, and attacks on rural communities.

From Benue to Borno, Plateau to Niger, and Ondo to Sokoto, state governors are struggling to contain the menace, as armed groups unleash chaos, displace communities, and cripple local economies, particularly agriculture.

In Borno State, for instance, the governor has raised the alarm over Boko Haram attacks that have overrun military outposts.

At a security meeting in Maiduguri on April 8, he called for increased federal intervention and aerial support to curb insurgent activities.

Mixed reactions trail release of 2025 JAMB’s UTME results 

Nanji Nandang VENLEY
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Mixed reactions trail release of 2025 JAMB’s UTME results 

MIXED reactions are trailing the release of 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) results by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB)

The ICIR reported that 78.5 per cent of candidates who sat for the 2025 UTME scored below 200, according to JAMB.

Data by the organisation show that of the total 1,955,069 registered candidates, 1,534,654 scored below 200, the score often used as a benchmark for admission into competitive programmes in most Nigerian federal universities.

The JAMB announced that it withheld the results of 39,834 candidates of the over 1.9 million applicants in the 2025 exam.

The Board also revealed that 80 candidates nationwide were under interrogation for examination fraud, with Anambra State leading the pack with 14 candidates.

The JAMB Registrar, Is-haq Oloyede, revealed this on Friday,  May 9, while officially releasing the 2025 UTME.

He also disclosed that while 41,000 underage candidates registered for the exercise, 467 met the prescribed minimum score, adding that 50 were engaged in cheating scandals.

He explained that out of 2,030,862 candidates that registered for the examination, 1,911,551 results were released, 71,705 were absent, and 2,157 fingerprints were rejected.

However, some Nigerians have alleged that there are irregularities in the results released by the examination body.

On May 9, a Nigerian with the account @Timmieexx on X, formerly Twitter, publicly challenged JAMB. She claimed that her brother’s exam result appeared inconsistent and urged the examination body to review it.

“Dear @JAMBHQ, my brother’s JAMB result just came out, and it’s not adding up. This is someone with a consistent record of academic excellence. We can’t accept this result. Too much effort and sleepless nights went into the preparation. This is so unfair. Please REVIEW IT!!!!!” her post read.

@Chukumapius, who identified as a retired teacher, tagged JAMB to express his concern that the result his daughter obtained didn’t reflect her hard work or match the score she achieved last year.

“@JAMBHQ @channelstv @ARISEtv @PeterObi Please, there is a serious technical error with JAMB this year. As a retired teacher, the result JAMB sent to my daughter this morning is not her result.  This is devastating. Hard work rewarded this way? Compare her last year 2025,” the post read.

Another user, Kemakillz, also took to the platform that same day to voice frustration with the Nigerian education system.

“How would someone score 309 in JAMB last year and not be offered admission??!!! This year, he got 163. Nigeria’s educational system…tueeh!” The post read.

@jace_Normany alleged that the results released were not his and called on JAMB to take action.

The post read, “We deserve better! Some of us prepared so hard! Some of us are rewriting! Some of us had high mock scores!… This is not our result! JAMB should do something about this, please. We deserve better.”

In a series of viral videos on Facebook and TikTok, several users are seen in tears, questioning JAMB over discrepancies in their UTME results and demanding clarity.

CRS Teens Finest is in tears, questioning what went wrong with her result and insisting that she studied hard for the examination.

Other social media users have expressed satisfaction with the scores of their loved ones, celebrating their success and lauding their hard work.

@thatboyropa posted, “My cousin just did the impossible, he scored 360 in JAMB. I think this is the highest I’ve seen so far, and the highest in our family’s history”

@Divayetty wrote, “This was me today, my youngest sister scored 259 in JAMB. I quickly sent her money and told her how much I’m proud of her. I’ll still buy more things for her”.

The ICIR reported that Nigerians faulted the exam body over the missing report of a candidate who was to write her exams at a centre far from her hometown. 

The candidate was reported to have gone missing on her way from the Epe area of Lagos to Ajah to write the 2025 UTME.

The candidate was reported to have gone missing on her way from the Epe area of Lagos to Ajah to write the 2025 UTME.

The incident, including students scheduled for exams at 6:30 am, led to public outcry.

Several reports highlighted instances where students were either made to wait for hours without being able to write their exams or had to travel unexpectedly to distant locations due to last-minute changes in their exam centres.

Other candidates reported system shutdowns mid-exam, missing questions, and CBT interface errors.

AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Awards open entries

Itoroabasi Uduak UDO
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AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Awards open entries

THE Kavli Foundation is organising the AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Awards to recognise outstanding reporting for a general audience and honour individuals who cover the sciences, engineering, or mathematics.

All entries should have been published, broadcast, or posted online between July 16, 2024, through July 15, 2025. 

The organisers have opened the awards to science journalists worldwide. However, works in a language other than English must include an English translation.

There will be two awards for each category, a gold award worth $5,000 and a silver award worth $3,500.

One winner for each award in each category will also receive travel expenses to attend an awards ceremony.

The deadline is August 1

Click here to apply.

AIJC fellowships open for African investigative journalists

Itoroabasi Uduak UDO
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AIJC fellowships open for African investigative journalists

THE African Investigative Journalism Conference (AIJC) is offering a limited number of fellowships for African journalists to attend its annual gathering, taking place in Johannesburg from November 5 to 7.

This three-day event celebrates investigative reporting across the continent and features inspiring keynote talks, hands-on training, networking opportunities, and skills development sessions.

Fellowships cover round-trip airfare to Johannesburg, airport transfers, accommodation, meals, local transport, and conference fees.

Journalists under 30, as well as mid-career reporters with at least five years of experience, are encouraged to apply. The conference will be conducted in both English and French.

The deadline is May 23, 2025.

Click here to apply.

NNPCL, Dangote promise healthy competition in petroleum sector

Ehime ALEX
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NNPCL, Dangote promise healthy competition in petroleum sector

THE Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and the Dangote Petroleum Refinery have promised to strengthen and promote mutually beneficial partnerships and foster healthy competition in the Nigerian oil and gas sector.

This was contained in a statement mailed to journalists on Friday, May 9, by the NNPCL’s Chief Corporate Communications officer, Olufemi Soneye.

The statement said the renewed commitment was to bring out healthy competition geared towards national prosperity.

The two oil giants pledged to deepen collaboration aimed at ensuring Nigeria’s energy security and advancing shared prosperity for Nigerians.

The committment was affirmed when the president/chief executive officer (CEO) of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, led a delegation to the Group CEO of NNPCL Bashir Bayo Ojulari at the NNPC Towers on Thursday, April 8.

During the visit, Dangote pledged to collaborate with the new NNPCL Management to ensure energy security for Nigeria.

He said, “There is no competition between us, we are not here to compete with NNPC Ltd. NNPC is part and parcel of our business, and we are also part of NNPC. This is an era of co-operation between the two organisations.”

Dangote, however, expressed concern over what he called the enormity of the responsibility ahead of the new NNPCL board, stressing that the NNPCL boss would shoulder a monumental task which he believes is not unsurmountable.

On his part, Ojulari assured Dangote of a mutually beneficial partnership anchored on healthy competition and productive collaboration.

He expressed the company’s readiness to build a legacy of national prosperity through innovation and shared purpose.

He assured that NNPCL would sustain its collaboration with the Dangote Group especially where there is commercial advantage for Nigeria.

Both executives also committed to being the relationship managers for their respective organisations through sustained productive collaboration and healthy competition, thereby envisioning limitless opportunities for both organisations.

Recall, Dangote and NNPCL have been at loggerheads over the supply of crude oil as well as petroleum products prices.

The ICIR reports that on October 1, 2024, commenced the sale of crude oil and refined petroleum products in naira to local refineries to improve supply save the country millions of dollars in petroleum products imports, and ultimately reduce pump prices.

On March 10, the NNPCL halted the naira-for-crude arrangement because the deal was for six months and ended on March 31.

However, on April 9, the federal government raised the hope that the naira-for-crude oil deal would continue after the first phase.

Kogi JSC retires judge, suspends magistrate over misconduct

Bankole ABE
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Kogi JSC retires judge, suspends magistrate over misconduct

THE Kogi State Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has ordered the compulsory retirement of the Area Court’s judge, Alemeru Adekunle Bamidele, over misconduct.

A magistrate, Tanimu U. Muhammed, was also suspended for two years and issued a warning letter by the commission.

According to the Secretary to the Commission, Tanko Muhammed, the decisions were made at the JSC’s 136th meeting in Lokoja, the Kogi state capital.

The commission acquitted four others: Magistrate Abdul Musa Mopah, Yunusa Medugu, Deborah O. Ebiloma, and Anuhi Safiya Oiza, who were accused of various alleged offences.

The JSC Secretary, Muhammed, who spoke on Thursday, May 8, announced the formation of a six-man committee to explore ways to improve the welfare of magistrates and area court judges in the state.

Muhammed said the allegations against the officers were first investigated by the commission’s disciplinary committee, which recommended the JSC.

“The sacked judge was found to have bought a building that was the subject matter of litigation before him after ordering the sale of the same and refused to make full payment for the property. He was found to have issued a court order without hearing both parties,” Muhammed explained.

Muhammed said the committee that investigated the officers was headed by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of the state, Muizudeen Abdullah.

The issue came up a few days after the National Judicial Council (NJC) suspended three serving judicial officers for one year without pay, including a justice of the Court of Appeal, for myriad acts of judicial misconduct.

The disciplinary actions were part of key decisions made at the NJC’s 108th meeting, chaired by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun.

This was disclosed in a statement released by the NJC’s Deputy Director of Information, Kemi Ogedengbe.

According to the council, Jane E. Inyang of the Court of Appeal, Uyo Division, was found guilty of breaching Rule 3(5) of the Revised Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers.

The NJC stated that Inyang was found to have abused his office by issuing inappropriate ex- parte orders for the sale of Udeme Esset’s petrol station and other businesses at the interlocutory stage of the case.

According to the NJC, Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, ignored an application to set aside court proceedings conducted without the parties present and went on to dismiss the charge against the defendants. 

This action was deemed a violation of Rules 3.1 and 3.3 of the 2016 Revised Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers.

The third judge slammed with punishment by the NJC, Aminu Baffa Aliyu of the Federal High Court, Zamfara Division, was suspended for one year without pay for judicial wrongdoing.

In another development, the Council directed the governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, to reverse the appointment of Theophilus Nzeukwu as acting chief judge of the state.

The NJC directed the Imo State Governor to appoint the most senior judicial officer in the High Court as acting chief judge, as mandated by Section 271(4) of the Constitution, leaving no room for discretion.

Pope Leo XIV: Why the College of Cardinals chose the Chicago native and Augustinian to lead the church after Francis

Editorial
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Pope Leo XIV: Why the College of Cardinals chose the Chicago native and Augustinian to lead the church after Francis

By Joanne M. Pierce, College of the Holy Cross

WHEN the 69-year-old Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost on May 8, 2025, appeared on the main balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica for the first time as Pope Leo XIV, he was cheered loudly by the huge crowd of pilgrims, tourists, local Catholics and other onlookers, who had waited hours for the first sign of white smoke and the official announcement.

As a specialist in Catholic history and ritual, I know how important this moment was for Catholics and others all over the world. A new pope brings with him a sense of excitement often mixed with uncertainty.

But the choice of the College of Cardinals came as a surprise to some. Prevost is the first pope from the United States, and, traditionally, the European-dominated College of Cardinals has had reservations about choosing a cardinal from the U.S. for fear of too much American influence in the church.

So, who is Prevost and what might have influenced the cardinals’ vote?

Early experiences

Born in Chicago, Illinois, Prevost joined a Catholic religious order at the age of 20: the Order of St. Augustine, called Augustinians, founded in the 13th century. Instead of withdrawing from the world in isolated monasteries, members of this order traveled as mendicants to aid the poor as well as serve as missionaries and teachers.

Prevost studied theology both in the U.S. and in Rome and, as a newly ordained priest, spent a year in Peru. After a short return to the U.S. as an official of the Augustinian order in Illinois, he returned to Peru as a seminary professor to teach canon law, the legal structure of the Catholic Church. He would stay in Peru for the next 10 years.

In 1999, he became the prior – that is, the head – of the local Augustinian province in Chicago, and was later elected prior of the worldwide Augustinian order. This gave him a truly global experience, since the Augustinians had some 50 communities spread across every continent.

In 2015, Pope Francis appointed him bishop for the diocese of Chiclayo in Peru. In 2019, Francis appointed him a member of several important Vatican dicasteries, or departments, where he became very familiar with the central church administration. Most importantly, he served as prefect – or chairman – on the Dicastery for Bishops.

A woman holds a photograph of a man wearing a black clerical coat, while two others stand beside her and wave.
Catholics hold a photo of newly elected Pope Leo XIV, in front of the Cathedral of Chiclayo, Peru, on May 8, 2025, where he served as bishop for several years.
AP Photo/Manuel Medina

In fact, because of his lengthy pastoral experience in Peru and service at the Vatican, some commentators had noted before Prevost was chosen that, if the cardinals were to elect an American pope, it would be him. His service on the Dicastery for Bishops was considered especially important, since members play a key role in selecting new bishops.

Global church

During the 20th century, especially after the Second Vatican Council – a series of meetings of the world’s bishops to modernize the church, ending in 1965 – the popes began to name cardinals from other parts of the world that were previously considered to be on the periphery of the Catholic Church.

And this led to popes being chosen from outside of Italy for the first time in centuries. Pope St. John Paul II was Polish and the first non-Italian pope since the 16th century. Pope Benedict XVI was another non-Italian, born in Germany, who had served as a Vatican official. Pope Francis was born in South America to parents who were Italian-born immigrants to Argentina.

The College of Cardinals, which had few representatives from other continents until recently, is now much more international. Some 80% of the cardinal-electors were named by Francis, many from countries that had never before had a cardinal.

In reviewing his record, the cardinal-electors might have taken a number of factors into account. Prevost would be an effective administrator as head of the church, and was an expert in church canon law. He had decades of experience doing pastoral work in South America, as well as in North America. And as prior general of the entire Augustinian Order, he would likely have traveled widely to visit many of the communities he supervised.

Papacy under Leo

The moment when the new pope emerged on the Vatican balcony.

The new pope appeared on the Vatican balcony wearing the traditional papal garments: white cassock, short red cape, decorated red and gold stole, and golden cross hanging around his neck. Francis, on the other hand, had appeared dressed in the plain white cassock of a pope.

Certainly, he had not chosen the simplicity of Francis. Was this a sign that he would be more of a traditionalist?

His choice of a papal name, I believe, could indicate a different point of view. Pope Leo XIII wrote a groundbreaking encyclical in 1891, “Rerum Novarum,” subtitled “On Dignity and Labor.” In this he stressed the rights of workers to unionize and criticized the conditions in which they worked and lived. He also championed other rights the ordinary worker deserved from their bosses and from their government.

A half-length portrait of a man in white priestly robe and a crucifix around his neck. Pope Leo XIII.Francesco De Federicis via Wikimedia Commons
A half-length portrait of a man in white priestly robe and a crucifix around his neck. Pope Leo XIII. Francesco De Federicis via Wikimedia Commons

In his first remarks from the balcony, offering a glimpse into the direction of his papacy, Leo XIV stressed the role of Catholics and the church as peacemakers and bridge-builders, in dialogue with other religious traditions and cultures. His first words were “Peace be with you all,” describing this peace as “a disarmed peace, a disarming peace.” He further urged Catholics to act together “without fear … united with one another … to build bridges” through dialogue and outreach – to bring peace to the world.

He may not follow exactly in Francis’ footsteps, but he will likely continue walking in the same direction.The Conversation

Joanne M. Pierce, Professor Emerita of Religious Studies, College of the Holy Cross

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Nigeria paying off IMF debt will raise investors’ confidence – Expert

Ehime ALEX
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Nigeria paying off IMF debt will raise investors’ confidence – Expert

NIGERIA’s exit from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) debtors is expected to serve as a strong signal to foreign investors’ confidence and strengthened future engagements with foreign partners, a financial expert, Ayokunle Olubunmi, has said.

The IMF confirmed the exit in a report titled: ‘Total IMF Credit Outstanding – Movement from May 01, 2025, to May 06, 2025,’ published on its website on Wednesday, May 7.

A cursory look at the list revealed Nigeria was not listed among the 91 developing and least developed countries with outstanding credit obligations to the IMF, which collectively owed $117.8 billion as of May 6, 2025.

“This data is subject to regular formal reviews and may be subject to change or adjustment due to pending transactions which may not have yet been confirmed,” the IMF noted.

Giving an insight into what the repayment obligation would mean for Nigeria’s economy, the head of Financial Institutions Rating at Agusto & Co, Ayokunle Olubunmi, said the action could attract increased investor interest and potentially lead to more foreign investment.

“Nigeria fully paying down its overnight loan is a strong signal to foreign investors. This repayment demonstrates Nigeria’s ability to meet its financial obligations, even amidst global economic challenges. It assures investors that they can expect to receive their funds back when investments mature,” Olubunmi said.

He explained further that the repayment could lead to a “crowding in” effect, where more investors become interested in Nigeria, stressing that it would complement positive rating outlooks for the country.

He, however, expressed that while the repayment is a positive sign, it is not a complete solution.

He said Nigeria should address its fundamental economic challenges and improve its investment climate to attract significant foreign investment.

“Even with positive developments, Nigeria needs to effectively communicate its progress and investment opportunities to foreign investors,” Olubunmi said.

He added that effective communication and “selling the story” of Nigeria’s progress are crucial for attracting substantial foreign investment.

Meanwhile, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Digital Engagement, Strategy, and New Media, O’tega Ogra, noted that Nigeria’s exit from the IMF debtor list did not mean the country would no longer engage with the Fund or other international lenders.

He believes rather that future engagements would be on a more strategic and partnership-oriented basis.

“This is not a door slammed shut. Global partnerships, like the IMF, remain valuable allies, especially in a world defined by volatility and uncertainty. The difference now is that any future engagement will be proactive, not reactive, and based on partnership, not dependence,” Ogra said.

The ICIR can report that in its recent assessment, the Fitch Ratings agency upgraded Nigeria’s outlook to Stable from Negative.

Stop attacking journalists, go after terrorists, others, Arogundade challenges security agencies

Bankole ABE
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Stop attacking journalists, go after terrorists, others, Arogundade challenges security agencies

A VETERAN journalist, Lanre Arogundade, recently removed from the State Security Service (SSS) watchlist after 40 years, has challenged Nigerian security agencies to focus on tackling insecurity in the country rather than harassing journalists and activists.

The executive director of the International Press Centre (IPC), in a chat with The ICIR on Thursday, May 8, advised security agencies to prioritise tackling issues of insecurity, namely terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping, rather than targeting journalists and activists.

“We have enough problems of insecurity in Nigeria. We have so many acts of terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping taking place across the country. They should ensure that there’s security of lives and property in the country,” he said.

He emphasised that journalists like him could not pose a threat to national security, saying, “It is those who carry out acts of terrorism that are a threat to the country, not those of us who fight for the rights of the people within a democratic space.”

Arogundade expressed mixed feelings about his removal from the watchlist, saying he was relieved but also felt a sense of injustice.

“It’s a kind of mixed feeling; hopefully, it is all over… One is relieved. The other feeling is also the injustice of it all, or, if you like, “Why should this happen?”

According to him, his troubles with the Nigerian government began in 1984 during the military regime of former Head of State Muhammadu Buhari. At the time, he was the president of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS). He led a nationwide protest against the commercialisation of education in the country.

He was subsequently detained and interrogated several times, after which his name was put on the watchlist.

“We had a nationwide protest against the increase in school fees or commercialisation of education by the Buhari government. That was 1984. In November 1985, earlier in that year, I had been detained by the Nigerian Security Organisation (NSO).

“I was abducted at the post office in Ile Ife in April 1985 and detained for days, Arogundade stated.

He added that in November 1985, he travelled to the UK to feature in some activities of the National Union of Students of the UK and was interrogated on his way out. When he returned, he was detained at the airport for an hour before he was allowed to go.

Arogundade believes that his activism as a journalist, including his role as chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Lagos State Council, may have contributed to his continued inclusion on the watchlist.

He noted that many journalists and activists who fought against military rule might have had their names on the watchlist, including journalists such as  Abdul Oroh and Edeatan Ojo.

The IPC executive director said he would seek legal advice on whether to press charges against the SSS, noting that his lawyers had earlier written to the agency demanding reasons for his harassment and requesting his removal from the watchlist.

SSS removes Arogundade’s name from watchlist after 40 years

News emerged on Tuesday, May 6, that the SSS had removed Arogundade’s name from its watchlist after four decades.

According to a statement issued on Tuesday by Tobi Adeniyi, legal adviser and chairman of the advocacy committee at IPI Nigeria, IPI president, Muskiliu Mojeed, provided an update on Arogundade’s watchlist status during the 3rd Nigerian Media Leaders’ Summit.

The summit was organised by Journalism Clinic, led by veteran journalist Taiwo Obe, and attended by media owners and top editors.

Mojeed revealed Arogundade’s status on the watchlist while relaying the outcome of IPI Nigeria’s recent engagement with the Director-General of the SSS, Adeola Ajayi.

The IPI leader said Arogundade faced nearly 40 years of persistent harassment and embarrassment, including brief detention by security operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.

“IPI Nigeria says it welcomes the decision and commends the SSS for finally removing  Arogundade’s name from the watchlist,” Mojeed stated.

He said the SSS’ decision “followed a sustained and intensive campaign by IPI Nigeria to get Arogundade’s name removed from the watchlist.

“The renewed campaign became necessary when Arogundade’s name was not removed despite previous assurance,” Mojeed added.

Putting Arogundade on the watch list for 40 years, a travesty – MRA

Speaking with The ICIR on the development, the Executive Director of Media Rights Agenda (MRA), Edetaen Ojo, described the SSS’ action as a travesty.

According to the media rights advocate, there is no justification whatsoever for him to have been on such a watch list.

He said time would tell if Arogundade had truly been removed from the watchlist because sometime in the past, the SSS said they had removed him from the watch list, only to find out later that he was still there.

“The widespread abuse and lack of transparency that routinely accompany the violation of citizens’ rights have enabled such a possibility. But the greater concern for us as a country is the fact that such measures, which exist ostensibly to ensure national security and combat crime, have been so abused that they are no longer effective tools to address the principal reasons for which they exist,” Ojo stated.

 

It’s official: Conclave chooses American Robert Francis as new Pope 

Nanji Nandang VENLEY
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It’s official: Conclave chooses American Robert Francis as new Pope 

THE Roman Catholic Church has announced a new Pope on Thursday, May 8, 2025. This came after two days of praying and voting, with white smoke rising from the Sistine Chapel chimney signifying that the 133 cardinal electors had chosen a new leader for the 1.4 billion-member Catholic Church worldwide.

Cardinal Protodeacon Dominique Mamberti announced that the Cardinals have elected Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as the new Pope, making him the first pontiff of United States origin in history.

Mamberti announced with the Latin phrase “Habemus Papam” (We have a Pope) to tens of thousands of people gathered in St. Peter’s Square, eagerly awaiting the announcement.

The ICIR reports that Robert Francis will be known as Pope Leo XIV, and is the first pontiff to have been born in the United States to succeed late Pope Francis, who died on April 21, after a 12-year papacy.

At 69 years old and originally from Chicago, Prevost has spent most of his career serving as a missionary in Peru from 2015 to 2023.

Prevost has become the 267th Pope of the Catholic Church and was known for his efforts to modernise the traditionally conservative institution.

He has drawn attention from fellow clergy for his quiet demeanor and strong support of Pope Francis, particularly his dedication to social justice causes.

Francis brought him to Rome to lead the Vatican office responsible for selecting Catholic bishops worldwide, giving him significant influence in the appointment of many bishops around the globe.

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