News
Pope Francis’s final moments revealed: How doctor knew he was gone, and his last regret
The head of Pope Francis’s medical team has revealed new details about the pontiff’s final moments.
The 88-year-old died quickly on the morning of Easter Monday, Dr Sergio Alfieri, who oversaw the Pope’s treatment for pneumonia earlier this year at Rome’s Gemelli hospital, said in interviews published on Thursday.
Francis died without undue suffering and medical intervention could not have saved him, Dr Alfieri said.
He recounted receiving an urgent call around 5.30am on Monday, summoning him to the Vatican. Arriving about 20 minutes later, he found the Pope conscious but unresponsive.
“I entered his rooms and he (Francis) had his eyes open,” Dr. Alfieri told Corriere della Sera.
“I ascertained that there were no respiratory problems. And then I tried to call his name, but he did not respond to me.”
Dr Alfieri said he recognised the gravity of the situation.
“In that moment I knew there was nothing more to do. He was in a coma.”
In another interview with La Repubblica, Dr. Alfieri mentioned that some officials present suggested immediately transporting the Pope back to Gemelli hospital. However, given the circumstances, it was determined that further medical intervention would have been futile.
“He would have died on the way,” said the doctor.
“Doing a CT scan we would have had a more exact diagnosis, but nothing more. It was one of those strokes that, in an hour, carries you away.”
Francis had nearly died while fighting pneumonia, but his death came as a shock.
Just the previous day he appeared in St. Peter’s Square in an open-air popemobile to greet cheering crowds on Easter Sunday, suggesting his convalescence was going well.
After Francis returned to the Vatican on March 23 after a 38-day hospital stay, Alfieri and the pope’s other doctors had prescribed him a two-month period of rest to allow his ageing body to heal.
Francis, known to push himself hard, kept working. He met briefly with US Vice President JD Vance on Easter Sunday, and had visited a prison in Rome on April 17, Holy Thursday, to offer well wishes to the inmates.
Dr Alfieri said the pope listened to his doctors’ advice and didn’t push himself too hard.
“He (was) the pope,” the doctor told Corriere. “Going back to work was part of his treatment and he was never exposed to danger.”
The doctor said he last saw Francis on Saturday afternoon. “He was very well,” said Dr Alfieri, who said he gifted the pope some pie, in a flavour he knew the pontiff liked.
Visitors queue to pay their respects to the late Pope Francis at the Vatican
open image in gallery
Visitors queue to pay their respects to the late Pope Francis at the Vatican (AFP/Getty)
He recounted the pope saying, “I am very well, I have started working again, and I like it.”
“We knew that he wanted to go home to be pope up until the last moment,” said the doctor. “He didn’t let us down.”
In the Repubblica interview, Dr Alfieri said Francis had shared one final regret with him.
While he was happy to have visited the prisoners on April 17, he wished he had been able to perform a foot-washing ritual for the Church’s celebration of Holy Thursday.
“He regretted he could not wash the feet of the prisoners,” said the doctor.
“‘This time I couldn’t do it’ was the last thing he said to me.”
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News
Kebbi Governor Blasts Security Agencies Over Failure to Act on DSS Intel Before School Kidnap
Kebbi State Governor, Mohammed Nasir Idris, has expressed outrage over what he described as a shocking failure by security agencies to act on credible intelligence warning of an impending attack on the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, in Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area.
In the early hours of Monday, suspected gunmen invaded the school, killing the vice principal and abducting 25 female students. Three of the abducted girls reportedly escaped hours later.
Governor Idris, who arrived at the scene at about 6:45 pm on Monday, accused unnamed security agencies of undermining the security measures put in place by his administration.
“This is clear sabotage. We got credible intelligence from the DSS that this school was likely to be attacked. DSS further advised that we convene an emergency Security Council meeting, which we did. And the decision was that we would provide round-the-clock protection for the students,” the governor said.
He recalled that he acted promptly on the DSS alert, mindful of the security lapses that led to the infamous December 2020 kidnapping of over 300 students from a secondary school in Kankara, Katsina State.
According to Governor Idris, security personnel were deployed to the school to guard the students. However, what followed left him “deeply disturbed.” Security operatives allegedly spent hours taking photographs with the students before abandoning their posts barely 30 minutes before the bandits struck.
The governor, accompanied by top security chiefs in the state, announced the establishment of a special investigation panel to uncover the circumstances surrounding the attack despite the advance intelligence and government’s proactive efforts.
The panel, to be headed by the State Director of the DSS, will also coordinate efforts to secure the safe return of the kidnapped students.
A teacher who escaped the attack expressed shock over the turn of events, recalling that heavily armed operatives had been deployed to the school on Sunday and engaged students and teachers in emergency drills.
“The heavily armed security men spent the entire night guarding the school. Sadly, for yet-to-be-determined reasons, they left the school before dawn. About 30 minutes after they withdrew, the kidnappers struck,” the teacher recounted.
He added that the accuracy of the DSS intelligence may have influenced the governor’s decision to appoint the DSS director to lead the investigation committee.
Despite the tragic incident, the teacher expressed optimism, noting that indications suggest the girls were abducted, not killed.
“With the ongoing efforts by federal and state authorities, we are hopeful that they will all be rescued,” he said.
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News
Brig-Gen M. Uba Killed by ISWAP After Terrorists Intercepted His Location
A senior Nigerian Army officer, Brigadier General M. Uba, has been killed by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists after they reportedly intercepted and tracked his live location along the Damboa–Biu axis in Borno State.
Multiple military sources confirmed that the commander was abducted and later executed by the insurgents shortly after participating in a successful joint air–ground offensive against ISWAP fighters.
Operation Before the Incident
According to reports, the late Brigadier General had earlier led ground troops in a clearance operation, during which soldiers came under heavy ambush. Unknown to the forces, the route had been booby-trapped, leading to an intense gun battle.
The commander issued a distress call, prompting Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft to divert from ongoing missions to provide close air support. The airstrikes dispersed the insurgents and allowed the troops, including the commander and Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) members, to regroup.
After the operation, General Uba contacted his superiors, assuring them of his safety and confirming that his team was reorganizing. Security sources, however, believe this communication may have inadvertently exposed his coordinates.
Abduction and Execution
ISWAP fighters reportedly intercepted his location and captured him alive. The terrorists briefly interrogated him before executing him, according to security officials familiar with the development.
Earlier reports from SaharaReporters indicated that the attack, which happened Friday night, resulted in the deaths of two soldiers and two CJTF members, alongside the abduction of Brig-Gen Uba and two other soldiers.
Although the Nigerian Army initially denied the abduction, officers confirmed that the Brigade Commander had not returned to base by Saturday morning.
One senior officer disclosed that the commander managed to transmit his live location to colleagues, but troops dispatched to the spot could not locate him. Another soldier abducted during the ambush—who was shot and left behind—was later rescued alive.
Sources also revealed that the General was forced to make a video call to his dry cleaner while in captivity but warned the civilian not to speak, suggesting he was under duress.
High-Level Military Response
Following the incident, top military commanders, including the Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, rushed to Damboa to coordinate rescue efforts and boost morale among troops.
In response to the crisis, the Nigerian Army has appointed Brigadier General Mustapha to temporarily head the 26 Task Force Brigade in Damboa pending further directive from Army Headquarters.
Background of the Attack
It was reported earlier that how ISWAP launched a coordinated ambush on a Nigerian military convoy in northeastern Nigeria, killing several soldiers and CJTF members.
The insurgents, heavily armed and well-organized, targeted the convoy during nighttime operations, further heightening concerns over ISWAP’s evolving tactics and surveillance capabilities.
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Technology
2025 Bloggers Bootcamp Opens Registration for Aspiring Digital Creators
Aspiring bloggers and digital entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to kickstart their online journey as registration opens for the 2025 Bloggers Bootcamp, scheduled to begin on December 1, 2025.

The intensive training program is designed to equip participants with practical skills needed to build, grow, and monetize a successful blog. Key areas of focus include:
- Strategic Content Creation & Niche Selection
- Creating and Designing a Blog/Website
- Basic Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
- Monetization Strategies, including Google AdSense
The bootcamp will hold physically in Abuja and Jos, with a virtual option available for participants across the country and beyond.
Interested individuals can register via HERE
WhatsApp message to +234 08060877989.
Abuja
FCT Police Refute Claims of Attempted Assassination on Lt. Ahmed Yerima
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has refuted viral social media reports claiming that Nigerian Navy officer, Lieutenant Ahmed Yerima, was the target of an assassination attempt in Abuja.
In an official statement issued on Sunday, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, described the circulating reports as entirely false, emphasizing that no such incident was recorded or reported anywhere within the FCT.
“The Command wishes to categorically state that no such incident has been reported or recorded within the Federal Capital Territory. The public is advised to disregard this false information and desist from spreading unverified claims capable of causing unnecessary panic,” the statement read.
SP Adeh urged residents to remain vigilant and responsible, especially regarding the dissemination of information on social media platforms. She noted that spreading unverified claims could lead to unnecessary tension and undermine public safety efforts.
The Command encouraged citizens to report suspicious activity to the nearest Police Division or contact the FCT Police emergency lines 08032003913 and 08068587311 for a prompt response.
The statement, signed by SP Josephine Adeh, ANIPR, reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all residents within the Federal Capital Territory.
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News
Lt. Yerima Escapes Alleged Assassination Attempt in Abuja Days After Clash With FCT Minister Wike
A young Nigerian Navy officer, Lieutenant A.M. Yerima, reportedly escaped an assassination attempt on Sunday evening in Abuja, just days after his widely publicised confrontation with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
According to military sources quoted by Vanguard, Yerima was trailed by unidentified men dressed in black and travelling in two unmarked Hilux vans without number plates. The suspicious vehicles allegedly followed him from the NIPCO Filling Station off the Kubwa Expressway to Gado Nasco Way.
Sensing danger, the officer reportedly carried out what sources described as a “strategic manoeuvre” to evade the suspected assailants. The incident was said to have occurred around 6:30 p.m.
The military source added that the matter is already under investigation and is receiving “the seriousness it deserves,” noting that additional information is being withheld to avoid compromising the process.
Source: Vanguard
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