Nigeria's headline inflation rate has dropped to 23.71% in April 2025, showing a decrease of 0.52% compared to March's rate of 24.23%, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

This economic indicator comes as the Federal Government announces plans to launch a major offensive against terrorists and bandits, with the aim of reclaiming 1,129 documented forests currently serving as hideouts for criminal elements.

In Ondo State, kidnappers who abducted the All Progressives Congress chairman in Ose council area, Nelson Adepoyigi, have reportedly detained the individuals sent to deliver ransom payments. The bandits ambushed the ransom bearers, forcing them out of their vehicle before taking them into the forest.

Meanwhile, tensions continue in Plateau State where one herder and over 100 cattle were reportedly killed in attacks on two villages within Jos South and Jos North local government areas. The attacks, allegedly carried out by gunmen who opened fire on herders while grazing, highlight the ongoing security challenges in the region, which has long been troubled by farmer-herder conflicts.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has weighed in on the security situation, stating that ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo swiftly ended Boko Haram's activities when the group first emerged during their administration. Atiku attributed this early success to strong political will.

In education news, the House of Representatives has resolved to investigate the circumstances leading to mass failures in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) conducted by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB). This followed the adoption of a motion moved by Rep. Adewale Adebayo at Thursday's plenary session.

On the international front, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is set to depart Abuja on Saturday for Rome, Italy, to attend the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV as the new head of the Roman Catholic Church. This was confirmed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.

In legislative developments, a bill seeking to amend the Electoral Act 2022 to make voting mandatory for all eligible Nigerians passed second reading in the House of Representatives on Thursday. The bill was jointly sponsored by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and Honorable Daniel Ago.

Law enforcement authorities in Anambra State have launched a manhunt for suspects who killed a legal practitioner returning from court after securing bail for a defendant in a murder case. The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday in Awka.

In Jigawa State, police discovered the lifeless body of an unidentified male adult under a slab containing armored cable wiring. Preliminary investigation revealed that the deceased was electrocuted while attempting to vandalize armored electrical cables connected to a high-voltage power source.