Welcome to Friday’s roundup of Nigerian newspaper headlines, where we scan the papers and then gently remind power that citizens are still awake.

1. Punch: Tax reform to protect low-income Nigerians — Oyedele

Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele, has tried to calm anxiety by saying that small investors are not the target of Nigeria’s 2026 tax reform, despite the panic it has caused. In simple terms, he says the reform is meant to leave low-income earners with more money to spend, not to tax them into anxiety, even though Nigerians have learnt the hard way to listen first… and double-check later.

Our Take: Chairman, sir, we’ve heard you. But we shall continue to demand clarity to ‘subdue’ confusion. If small investors are truly exempt, then the government must explain the law in plain language, ensure tax agencies apply it fairly, and stop reforms from feeling like pop quizzes Nigerians never prepared for.

2. Vanguard: 2026 Budget: Ministry Votes Over N500m for Make-up Artistes, Hairdressers, Grinding Machines

The 2026 Appropriation Bill shows that the Federal Ministry of Works is planning to spend over N500 million on projects that sound less like roads and bridges and more like a community empowerment fair, including training hairdressers and makeup artists, supplying grinding machines, motorcycles, mini-vans, and funding anti-drug abuse campaigns across selected states.

Our Take: At this point, we should demand answers, not just allocations. If the Ministry of Works plans to fix roads by training hairdressers and buying grinding machines, then Nigerians deserve a clear explanation of how these items connect to its core mandate, who selected the beneficiaries, and how impact will be measured beyond photo ops.

3. The Guardian: Armed Forces Resolute against Terrorism, Says CDS, Amid Posers About Tinubu’s Absence

What was meant to be a solemn moment of national remembrance at the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day in Abuja ended up raising uncomfortable questions about leadership presence after President Bola Tinubu and the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, were notably absent from the wreath-laying ceremony.

Our Take: We need to demand that national remembrance come with visible leadership, not empty podiums. If a ceremony meant to honour fallen heroes can proceed without the country’s top leaders in attendance, then Nigerians are right to ask for clear standards of accountability, explanations, not silence, and a reminder that respect for sacrifice should not be optional or delegated by confusion.

4. Daily Trust: FG warns states against peace deals with bandits

Defence Minister Christopher Musa has warned states against making peace deals with bandits, as he says such negotiations only give false hope and weaken security efforts, though his comments have left many Nigerians quietly wondering how civilians are meant to cut off criminals while still waiting for lasting protection from the state.

Our Take: Nigerians should demand a security strategy that goes beyond warnings and actually keeps communities safe. If negotiating with bandits is off the table, then we deserve clear alternatives, better protection for villages, real support for those caught between fear and survival, and security forces that arrive before, not after, attacks.