The Zambian government has assured its citizens that the country has adequate and sufficient maize stocks to last at least six months, as concerns mount over food security, even without factoring in the upcoming harvests from commercial and small-scale farmers.

Chief Government Spokesperson, Cornelius Mweetwa, who gave the assurance during a media briefing in Lusaka on Thursday, disclosed that the country’s Food Reserve Agency (FRA) held 363,000 metric tonnes of maize, while private sector stocks brought the total national reserves to 750,000 metric tonnes.

Mweetwa stated that the figure, however, marked a decline from the 1.5 million metric tonnes recorded in 2022.

“The government’s interventions to ensure food security are working, with FRA community maize sales proceeding on schedule and the school feeding programme continuing uninterrupted,” Mweetwa stated.

Mweetwa stressed that the production of millimeter, a type of maize meal, was ongoing, though it has not yet met the country’s full demand, and also highlighted efforts to bolster maize supplies, including the government’s purchase of 195,000 metric tonnes of maize from Tanzania at a cost of $68 million.

The government spokesman further highlighted that 67,000 metric tonnes have so far been received and distributed, while 128,000 metric tonnes remain in Tanzania, awaiting transport via local transporters and TAZARA.

“The government remains committed to ensuring that no Zambian dies from hunger, as pledged by President Hakainde Hichilema,” Mweetwa affirmed, promising regular updates on the food security situation.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has arrested a 37-year-old Nigerian fraudster, Abiola Kayode, over an alleged $6 million email scam.

According to a statement by the FBI, Kayode who had been on the most-wanted list of the agency, was arrested in Ghana and extradited to Nebraska to face charges which include conspiracy to commit wire fraud, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael D. Nelson.

The FBI said Kayode was on the FBI’s “Most Wanted Cyber Criminal List” at the time of his arrest and then surrendered and was brought to Nebraska.

A statement by the FBI on Thursday said Kayode provided bank information from victims who were directed via fraudulent emails to wire money to accounts he and others controlled, while most of the victims were preyed upon using internet romance scams.

“Four years ago, we identified six Nigerian nationals suspected of defrauding individual victims and businesses in Nebraska and other states of millions of dollars,” FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel said in a news release.

“Today, Abiola Kayode is the second of those co-conspirators to be extradited to stand trial in Nebraska.

“The indictment shows that suspects posed as the CEO, president, owner, and other executive of the company. Those receiving emails from the group were tricked into completing wire transfers.

“Using e-mail accounts spoofed to make it appear as though they were from the company’s true business executive, Kayode’s co-conspirators directed business employees or recipients of the e-mail to complete wire transfers.

“Authorities believe that Kayode provided bank account information that largely belonged to victims of internet romance scams.

“Three others involved in the scam have already been convicted and sentenced.

“Alex Ogunshakin was also extradited from Nigeria. He provided bank accounts for the scheme, and was sentenced to 45 months in prison in October 2024.

“Onome Ijomone was extradited from Poland. He acted as a romance scammer, and was sentenced in January 2020 to 60 months in prison and ordered to pay $508,934.40 in restitution.

“Pelumi Fawehinimi, who facilitated the bank accounts, was sentenced in March 2019 to 72 months in prison and ordered to pay $1,014,159.60 in restitution.

“Adewale Aniyeloye, who sent spoofed e-mails to the target business, was sentenced in February 2019 to 96 months in prison and ordered to pay $1,570,938.05 in restitution.”

The FBI statement added that law enforcement authorities in Ghana arrested Kayode pursuant to a U.S. request for his extradition.

“Ghanaian authorities ultimately granted this request and surrendered Kayode to FBI special agents who brought him to the District of Nebraska. Kayode had an initial appearance on the Indictment on December 11, 2024. United States Magistrate Judge Michael D. Nelson ordered Kayode remain detained pending trial.