Welcome to Monday’s roundup of Nigerian newspaper headlines, where we scan the papers and then gently remind power that citizens are still awake.
1. Punch: FG allocates below one percent of 2026 budget to fight poverty
In the 2026 budget, the Federal Government plans to spend about N206.5bn on poverty alleviation, an amount that looks impressive until you notice it is just 0.35 percent of the proposed N58.47tn budget, or 0.89 percent of the capital vote, which raises the obvious question: is poverty expected to reduce itself?
Our Take: Nigerians should politely, but loudly, demand that the federal government explain how poverty is expected to disappear on a diet of 0.35 percent of the national budget, especially in a country where hunger is not theoretical. We must ask lawmakers to reject budget theatre and insist on a serious, measurable, and people-centred poverty reduction plan with funding that matches the scale of suffering, not press statements.
2. Vanguard: Rivers Crisis: I’m Still Governor – Fubara
Governor Siminalayi Fubara used the calm of the 2026 Port Harcourt Polo Tournament to remind everyone that he is, indeed, still the governor and fully in charge of keeping Rivers State safe. Speaking at the event’s closing, he pointed to a week without security incidents as proof that his government is ‘working’, even as he lamented that political drama has managed to crash the polo party for three straight years.
Our Take: Residents of Rivers State should demand that peace and security in the state become a daily reality, not a special feature rolled out for polo tournaments, complete with reassurances from the governor. While it is good news that horses can gallop peacefully for a week, residents should insist that the same calm applies to markets, streets, and communities long after the final chukker is played. Rivers people must ask their leaders to replace political theatrics and power tussles with consistent governance, because peace that only shows up for elite events is not stability, it is crowd control in uniform.
3. The Guardian: NAF Kills over 40 Insurgents, Disrupts Borno Attacks
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says it neutralised over 40 terrorists in the Tumbuns area after spotting them neatly gathered on canoes, apparently preparing for attacks on Baga and the Fish Dam axis, only to be interrupted by airstrikes on 15 January and follow-up support the next day. According to NAF, the operation involved multiple passes that sent the terrorists scattering, regrouping, hiding under trees, and ultimately being “promptly engaged” again, because apparently there was no hiding spot left on the itinerary.
Our Take: Nigerians should applaud the success, then promptly demand consistency, transparency, and an end to press-release-only victories, because terrorists do not disappear permanently after one well-written statement. We as citizens must ask for sustained intelligence-led operations, better protection for vulnerable communities, and clear timelines for restoring normal life in affected areas, beyond counting neutralised figures like exam scores.
