Welcome to today’s roundup of Nigerian newspaper headlines, accompanied by our advocacy-focused calls for government action on pressing issues that impact citizens.
1. The Guardian: 70 CSOs Demand Enforcement of Laws to Curb Vote Buying
We begin with The Guardian, which reports that ahead of the 2027 general elections, the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room has called for strict enforcement of laws to check what it described as the ugly phenomenon of vote buying and vote selling.
The Situation Room, which is a coalition of over 70 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), working in support of credible elections and governance in the country, said it was concerned about the recurring cases of widespread vote buying during elections.
Our Take: As Nigeria inches toward the 2027 general elections, the call from over 70 CSOs should ring louder than campaign jingles, it is time for INEC to enforce our electoral laws, not just recite them during press briefings. If politicians can mobilise voters with cash-filled envelopes, surely the authorities can mobilise justice with equal enthusiasm.
2. Daily Trust: Bandits Attack Five Vehicles, Abduct Passengers in Kogi
Suspected bandits on Sunday attacked motorists along the Ayere-Kabba highway in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, killing one person and abducting several passengers.
Reports from the community indicated that the incident occurred around 5 p.m. when the victims ran into an ambush along the busy route.
Our Take: While the Presidency celebrates an ’81 per cent reduction in terror-related deaths’, bandits in Kogi seem to have missed the memo, or perhaps they’re just not part of the statistics. Sunday’s attack along the Ayere-Kabba highway is a grim reminder that numbers don’t stop bullets. The Nigerian Police Force, Nigerian Army, and Department of State Services must move beyond joint press conferences to joint action, securing highways, rescuing victims, and restoring public confidence.
3. Punch: Over 100,000 Policemen Assigned to VIPs — EU Report
A new report has revealed that more than 100,000 officers of the Nigeria Police Force are currently deployed to protect politicians and other Very Important Persons, raising concerns over inadequate security coverage for ordinary citizens.
Our Take: With over 100,000 police officers guarding VIPs, it seems the safest place to be in Nigeria is beside a politician. The EU report lays bare what citizens have long known: the rest of the country is left to police itself. Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun must urgently recall officers from luxury convoys and redeploy them to communities where security is more than a status symbol.
4. Vanguard: Insecurity: NAF Strikes Kill Terrorists, Bandits in Borno, Kwara, Katsina, Others
Vanguard reports that the Nigerian Air Force, NAF, has upped its counter-terrorism and counter-banditry operations nationwide with a series of precision airstrikes that neutralised scores of Islamic State of West Africa Province, ISWAP, terrorists at Mallam Fatori and Shuwaram areas of Borno State.
Our Take: While the Nigerian Air Force reports yet another round of ‘successful airstrikes’, many citizens are beginning to wonder if these victories exist only in press statements. With trust in security agencies already hanging by a thread, the Defence Headquarters must back its claims with verifiable proof, not just dramatic adjectives. Nigerians want to see safer roads and freed hostages, not more explosions in official press releases.
