Gamblers are staking millions of dollars to predict who will emerge as new pope as betting sites place odds on the candidates as the Catholic Church cardinals sweat to pick a new pontiff.

Polymarket, an American cryptocurrency-based betting site, has placed odds on candidates who will emerge.

Similarly, Kalshi, another American betting site, is coordinating predictions on who emerges as the new Catholic pope.

On Polymarket, over $21 million worth of bets have been staked in the conclave election, in which Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle are considered the leading candidates.

Mr Parolin leads with 27 per cent odds, while Mr Tagle comes second with 23 per cent odds. Matteo Zuppi, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, and Peter Erdo came third, fourth and fifth with 11, 10 and 7 per cent odds, respectively.

On Kalshi, where over $8milliom has been staked, Mr Parolin leads with 29 per cent odds, followed by Mr Tagle’s 22 per cent odds and Mr Pizzaballa’s 10 per cent odds.

This comes as 133 cardinals from across the globe commenced a conclave to decide who would emerge as the new pope on Thursday.

Though conclave elections have been highly unpredictable for years, gamblers throw in thousands of dollars for a possible kill should their candidate emerge.

In 2013, contrary to projections on the possible emergence of Cardinal Angelo Scola, who was then regarded as the favourite, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio emerged as Pope Francis.

On Wednesday, thick black smoke billows from the Sistine Chapel chimney at the end of the first meeting of the cardinals, signalling that no pope has been elected.

The election of the 267th pope, which commenced on Wednesday. A new pope will poll a two-thirds majority to emerge during the election process.

Then, white smoke will be released from the Sistine Chapel chimney.

President Bola Tinubu has mandated the formation of a Presidential Task Force aimed at eliminating numerous checkpoints that impede free movement.

Ambassador Musa Nuhu, Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to ECOWAS, revealed this initiative during a visit to the Nigeria-Benin Republic border in Seme on Wednesday.

“We are commencing with the Seme-Badagry Corridor. A committee has been established under the auspices of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and we will soon begin addressing this matter.

“We have taken note of all the concerns raised, and I assure you that the Nigerian government will tackle the other issues mentioned subsequently.”

Numerous complaints have surfaced regarding the excessive checkpoints along the Badagry-Seme corridor, which adversely affect the seamless movement of individuals and goods between Nigeria and the Benin Republic.

Ambassador Nuhu emphasized, “This is the most trafficked border in West Africa regarding the flow of goods, people, and services. If free movement is to be effectively implemented in West Africa, it will be evident at this border.”

Motorists attending the meeting expressed their frustrations about the numerous checkpoints and the extortion practices by security personnel along the route.

In response, Omar Alieu Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission, stated that any fees paid by motorists should be accompanied by official receipts.

He expressed concern that the proliferation of checkpoints and the extortion of citizens within member states undermine ECOWAS’s goal of fostering a more integrated region.

“While we must inspect passengers and road users, we should move beyond arbitrary charges that lack receipts. If payments are necessary, they should be properly documented.

“It is one thing to request that someone open their bags for inspection, but it is entirely different to demand payment that is not receipted.”

The suspects were apprehended for selling prohibited exotic birds and wild animals contrary to the provisions of the Endangered Species Act.

The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), in collaboration with the National Park Service, has arrested three persons over alleged illegal trade in endangered wildlife species in Abuja.

This was disclosed in a statement on Wednesday by NESREA’s Assistant Director of Press, Nwamaka Ejiofor.

The suspects, identified as Musa Usman, Samila Abdullahi, and Saidu Jagaban, were arrested in different parts of the country’s capital.

According to her, the suspects were apprehended for selling prohibited exotic birds and wild animals, contrary to the provisions of the Endangered Species Act.

She stated that Usman and Abdullahi were found with 15 Senegalese parrots and one African grey parrot, while Jagaban was arrested for hawking three dead antelopes.

“The suspects were arrested in different parts of the city for the illegal sale of prohibited exotic birds and wild animals, contrary to the provisions of the Endangered Species Act,” the statement read in part.

“The trio is to remain in custody while investigation continues.”

NESREA Director-General, Innocent Barikor, reiterated that trafficking in endangered species remained a crime under Nigerian laws, and anyone caught culpable would be prosecuted accordingly.

Barikor emphasised on the need to protect endangered species, under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), to which Nigeria is a signatory.

He added that all living things play different roles in ensuring biodiversity sustainability.