Here is a roundup of some Nigerian newspaper headlines, accompanied by our advocacy-driven demands for government action in addressing citizens’ concerns.

1. The Guardian: 2024-2025 Fiscal Policy Crisis: Project Funding, Execution Stall Over Poor Budget Implementation

Midway into the year and three months after the 2025 budget was passed into law, implementation of the fiscal document may have been stalled, raising questions about the government’s commitment to pull the economy out of the woods.

Our Take: President Bola Tinubu, alongside the National Assembly and relevant oversight bodies such as the Budget Office and Ministry of Finance, must take immediate steps to enforce accountability and strengthen execution capacity across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to prevent further delays and waste of public funds. There should be effort made to set strict performance benchmarks, publicly track progress on capital projects, and ensure that extensions do not become a cover for inefficiency.

We also call on citizens to also remain vigilant, demanding transparency and results from those entrusted with implementing the nation’s development agenda.

2. Vanguard: Police Arrest 48 Over Benue Massacre, Plateau Killings

Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun on Tuesday announced that 26 persons who actively participated in the killings in Yelwata Community, Benue State, on 13 June, 2025, have been arrested.

Our Take: The IGP and state security agencies must go beyond arrests and ensure swift prosecution of all perpetrators to restore public confidence in the justice system. The federal and Benue State governments must also prioritise the protection of vulnerable communities by increasing security presence, improving intelligence gathering, and addressing the root causes of such violence.