Bandit Attacks, Justice Delays And Massive NNPC Debt Dominate Today’s Nigerian Newspaper Headlines

In today’s edition of Today in the News, major Nigerian newspapers highlight a wave of security, governance, and economic concerns gripping the nation.

Vanguard leads with disturbing reports of bandit attacks across Kogi, Kano, Sokoto and Kwara States. The paper also features Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf voicing alarm over the growing number of inmates awaiting trial, warning that prolonged delays in the justice system undermine public trust and weaken the rule of law. Another Vanguard story captures the Presidency’s response to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, asserting that terrorism entrenched itself during his administration.

The Guardian reports renewed public anxiety over the status of the abandoned Safe School Initiative. Despite receiving $30 million, the programme has failed to provide meaningful security or infrastructure for more than 42,000 schools, even as bandits continue to abduct schoolchildren.

The Punch focuses on economic pressures, revealing that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited is burdened with crude-backed loan obligations estimated at ₦8.07 trillion, based on its 2024 financial statements and capital-commitment disclosures.

Rounding off the headlines, The Nation highlights a firm declaration from the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, who says the Federal Government has launched a “total war” against bandits, terrorists and other criminal groups responsible for worsening insecurity in parts of the country.