Here is Tuesday’s roundup of some Nigeria news headlines, where we call government’s attention to the concerns and needs of the people.
1. The Guardian: CSOs rally, demand update, due process in el-Rufai’s probes
So yesterday, civil society groups in both Kaduna and Abuja decided they had had enough of waiting for updates that never come as former Governor Nasir el-Rufai arrived the EFCC headquarters in Abuja.
While one set marched to the Kaduna State House of Assembly, the other stormed the EFCC office, all chanting the same ‘Give us the truth, abeg’ chorus.
Just in case the drama was not enough, the DSS added a subplot by filing fresh charges against the former governor for allegedly wire-tapping the NSA’s phone.
Our Take: Citizens are no longer satisfied with probes that move slower than Nigerian traffic in the rainy season. If you start an investigation, give people updates, and if you have findings, release them. Governance should not be a hide-and-seek game. The EFCC should publish timelines, share investigation updates, and ensure due process is transparent.
2. Channels TV: We’ll Win Battle Against Banditry, Terrorism, Tinubu Assures Nigerians
President Bola Tinubu was in Yola, Adamawa State, on Monday, promising again that his administration will defeat bandits and terrorists. Nigerians have heard these assurances so many times that at this point, we can recite them like national anthem.
Our Take: To be fair, the president praised the Armed Forces and promised more support. And honestly, the men and women in uniform deserve every resource they can get. But what ordinary Nigerians want are results, because insecurity has become that uninvited guest who refuses to go home, as it roams from one state to another as if it is on a tour. The president must accompany assurances with measurable action by publicly sharing security benchmarks, community-by-community early-warning systems, and timelines citizens can track.
3. Daily Trust: Goods destroyed as residents protest against northerners in Rivers
In Rivers State, protests erupted after a resident was stabbed and later died during a clash involving a commercial motorcyclist. What followed was the destruction of goods worth hundreds of millions of naira, most belonging to ordinary traders, and these are the very people who wake up at 4:00am to hustle for survival.
Our Take: Can you see how quickly things escalate in Nigeria? One incident becomes ethnic tension, then ethnic tension becomes violence, and violence becomes ‘losses to be counted’ by people who had nothing to do with the conflict in the first place. Rivers State authorities must ensure justice is transparent, protect all communities regardless of origin, and activate conflict-prevention systems.
