Here is a roundup of some Nigerian newspaper headlines with our advocacy calls for Friday, 04 April, 2025.

1. ‘Botched recall: PDP, Natasha alert INEC as petitioners mobilise constituents’ – Punch

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and a former education minister, Oby Ezekwesili, have endorsed the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) rejection of the recall petition against the embattled Kogi Central lawmaker, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, for not fulfilling the requirements of the constitution.

Our Take: While INEC has rightly halted the recall process against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan due to insufficient signatures, it is equally important that the commission thoroughly investigate allegations of forged signatures submitted as part of the petition. Verifying the authenticity of the signatures is critical to maintaining the integrity of the electoral process and ensuring that citizens’ identities are not misused for political vendettas.

2. ‘How vandalism, scavenging ruin critical assets, damage economy’ – The Guardian

With theft and vandalism fast becoming the norm across all sectors of the economy, many more sectors, including telecommunications, energy, and transport, just to mention a few, are equally being exposed to the menace, hence the declining quality of service.

Our Take: The Federal Coordinating Council for Protection of Critical National Assets and Infrastructure, under the leadership of Coordinating Secretary Ahmed Abubakar Audi, must urgently intensify coordinated efforts to combat the growing menace of infrastructure vandalism and scavenging across the country. Beyond reactive measures, the Council should champion a national awareness campaign that educates citizens on the devastating economic impact of these acts, while also strengthening partnerships with security agencies to clamp down on both vandals and the black market networks that sustain them.

3. ‘Another 15 killed in Plateau communities’ – Nigerian Tribune

The gunmen on a rampage in the Bokkos local government area of Plateau State have killed another 15 persons and injured several others in three villages of the council on Wednesday.

Our Take: The persistent killings in Bokkos LGA of Plateau State demand immediate and decisive action from both the federal and state governments. Security agencies must be urgently mobilised to intensify surveillance and ensure the protection of lives and property in the affected communities. It is no longer enough to condemn these attacks, there must be proactive intelligence gathering, swift apprehension of perpetrators, and visible efforts to restore peace and rebuild trust among residents.