Welcome to Monday’s roundup of Nigerian newspaper headlines, accompanied by our advocacy-focused calls on issues that impact citizens.
1. Daily Trust: Bandits Kill 3, Abduct 64 in Zamfara
Bandits reportedly stormed Fegin Baza village in Tsafe LGA of Zamfara State on Saturday, killing three people and whisking away at least 64 others, because apparently, terror groups now operate with the confidence of registered businesses.
All this unfolded barely 24 hours after the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Mohammed Matawalle, proudly announced the arrival of fresh troops during his visit to the state.
Our Take: The government must move beyond grand announcements and finally deliver real security that disrupts the bandits who now operate like they’re running a public franchise. Strengthened intelligence, swift response, and genuine community engagement are overdue—because Nigerians shouldn’t have to plan their safety around criminals’ schedules.
2. The Guardian: 2026 budget delays spark fiscal spending concern, uncertainty
The Guardian reports that with the 2026 budget still nowhere in sight, tension is building across markets and the public sector as Nigeria drifts once again toward unpredictable fiscal cycles and rushed budget approvals. Six weeks to a new fiscal year, the executive seems unbothered, and the Federal Executive Council has yet to even receive the proposal, as though the budget might stroll in on its own.
Meanwhile, the Senate has demanded detailed reports on the 2024 budget performance, 2025 capital projections, and the MTEF/FSP, adding yet another delay.
Our Take: To prevent another cycle of rushed approvals and shaky fiscal planning, President Bola Tinubu, the Federal Executive Council, Minister of Finance Wale Edun, and the Budget Office should work swiftly with the National Assembly to conclude all pending assessments and present the 2026 budget without further delay, ensuring a transparent, timely, and credible process that restores public confidence in Nigeria’s budgeting system.
3. Punch: Alleged Christian genocide: US Congress begins full-scale probe into Nigeria’s killings
The Punch reports that the United States House Subcommittee on Africa will hold an open hearing on 20 November, 2025, to scrutinise President Donald Trump’s latest decision to redesignate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern, a diplomatic label that basically tells the world, ‘Things are not exactly sunshine and harmony over there’. If the Senate signs off, the CPC status could pave the way for sanctions against Nigerian officials implicated in religious persecution and restrict certain forms of U.S. assistance.
Our Take: As the U.S. prepares to dissect Nigeria’s CPC redesignation, President Bola Tinubu, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and relevant security agencies must work together to ensure that Nigeria is known for resolving its religious tensions, not for repeatedly starring in hearings where foreign lawmakers discuss the country like an overdue homework assignment.
