Here is a roundup of the top stories making headlines in major Nigerian newspapers on Tuesday, 07 January, 2025, along with our key advocacy asks.

1.’Thousands face life-threatening ailments from lead poisoning’ – Vanguard

Normally, the abundant lead deposits in Enyigba and Ameka communities of Ebonyi State should be a golden ticket to prosperity, a reason for celebration, and perhaps even a local anthem about their mineral wealth. Instead, it has turned into a cruel joke, offering riches with one hand while dishing out life-threatening ailments with the other.

Our Take: The dire situation in these communities, where residents are forced to choose between starvation and slow poisoning, calls for immediate government intervention. The Ebonyi State and the federal government must take real action, including providing clean water, conducting soil remediation, and regulating mining activities.

2.’OAGF indicts NNPC in N514 billion transactions’ – Punch

The Auditor-General has uncovered a jaw-dropping N514 billion in ‘missing funds’ within NNPC’s 2021 operations. That’s enough money to build thousands of schools, fix our pothole-riddled roads, or provide electricity for entire communities. But instead, it seems to have vanished into thin air.

Our Take: Enough with the ‘we-will-investigate’ comments. The government must arrest and prosecute those responsible, no matter how high up the food chain they sit. Let them explain how public funds became their personal ATM.

NNPC must account for every single kobo. This is not monopoly money; it belongs to the Nigerian people. We demand transparency. Bring in independent auditors, streamline financial processes, and close the loopholes that allow these financial gymnastics.

3.’Two killed in Abuja school bombing’ – Daily Trust

Another tragic headline: two lives lost in a school bombing at Kuchibiyu, Bwari. Parents send their children to school with books and dreams, not body bags and nightmares.

Our Take: This is a national disgrace, plain and simple. Here is what needs to happen before another tragedy strikes:

• Deploy security personnel, install surveillance, and work with local communities to protect our children. Learning should not require a survival strategy.
• The culprits behind this act must face justice, no delays, no excuses. Every second without action is an insult to the victims.
• The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) must roll out a clear, actionable plan to secure schools.