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. The Guardian: CSO Knocks National Assembly on Prolonged Recess, Warns Electoral Act Delay Threatens 2027 Poll
Civil society groups are raising the alarm that Nigeria may once again walk into an election season with shaky rules, as the National Assembly, especially the Senate, continues to delay the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill ahead of the 2027 polls.
Our Take: At this point, the National Assembly, especially the Senate, needs to stop treating electoral reform like a file that can wait forever on a dusty desk and finish the job it started, because elections do not respect legislative procrastination. Passing the Electoral Act amendment now gives INEC the legal clarity it needs to plan properly, not scramble at the last minute while lawyers argue timelines on television.
2. Punch: Abductions: US demands action, FG vows to track bandits
The United States has sounded the alarm over Nigeria’s failure to protect Christian communities after 177 worshippers were abducted from three churches in Kajuru, Kaduna State, with bandits reportedly seen days later moving calmly through forest routes with their captives, as if on an escorted tour.
Our Take: At this point, Nigerians are not asking for another strongly worded warning or another promise to ‘track’ criminals who appear to know the forests better than the state. What is needed is simple and urgent: rescue the abducted worshippers, shut down the routes bandits move through so easily, hold collaborators accountable, and keep the public informed with facts, not reassurance. Otherwise, the United States will keep demanding action, officials will keep issuing vows, and bandits will keep proving quite confidently that they are the only ones moving freely and on schedule.
3. The Nation: New agric focus will curb inflation, says Shettima
Vice President Kashim Shettima has said the government has finally decided to treat food not just as something we argue about in markets but as a serious national security matter. While speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, he announced that the new Back to Farm Initiative is expected to tame inflation, ease pressure on foreign exchange, and calm tensions in food-producing communities affected by conflict.
Our Take: The Vice President’s remarks should move beyond polished panels and poetic phrases to measurable action on the ground: the Back to Farm Initiative must come with transparent funding, clear timelines, and public dashboards showing who gets land, inputs, and protection, not just who gets invitations to conferences. If food is truly a security issue, then farmers deserve the same seriousness given to arms procurement, otherwise, Davos will remain well-fed on ideas while rural Nigeria continues to farm courage, harvest losses, and import the food it once grew with ease.
