Nigerian Newspapers reported on a variety of issues ranging from the continuing feud between the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, and the Vice Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress for the 2027 Elections, Rotimi Amaechi, who was also his predecessor as governor of Rivers State, preparations for the……
Nigerian Newspapers reported on a variety of issues ranging from the continuing feud between the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, and the Vice Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress for the 2027 Elections, Rotimi Amaechi, who was also his predecessor as governor of Rivers State, preparations for the 2027 general elections, the climax of the Big Brother Naija reality TV Show with Temi Nkem emerging winner.
Other issues such as the Economic challenges facing Nigerians and security also got prominent mention.
1. The Punch in its front page lead focuses on ongoing efforts to secure the release of abducted prospective Corp members who were heading to the Orientation camps in Abia and Akwa Ibom States and the reported slashing of the ransom demand by their abductors.
Kidnappers holding 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps members abducted along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Imo State have reduced their ransom demand from N50m to N5m per victim, bringing the total demand down from N1bn to N100m.
The development came as the victims’ parents disclosed that the abducted graduates were being beaten by their captors, heightening fears over their safety and prompting renewed calls for urgent government intervention.
One of the affected parents, Alhaja Alimot Akande, who spoke through one of her daughters in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Sunday, said the abductors had subjected the victims to physical assault since Friday.
Akande said the reduction in the ransom had not eased the families’ anxiety because the victims remained in captivity and were allegedly being brutalised.
“The kidnappers had reduced their demand from the earlier N50m per victim to N5m each,” she said.
“They are still demanding N5m. They have come down to N5m each.”
2. The Nation in its front page lead reports on efforts aimed at strengthening the security architecture of Nigeria with President Tinubu pointing out results of steps taken by his administration on the improvements in security situation nationwide.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday projected his administration’s security interventions as strengthening Nigeria’s military response capacity. SahelSecurity Report
He said new Army formations, improved troop welfare, and expanded military infrastructure were putting the Armed Forces in a better position to protect vulnerable communities.
President Tinubu said the Nigerian Army have operationalised new formations in Zamfara, Kebbi, Oyo, and Osun states, a development he said was bringing troops closer to communities exposed to security threats and improving the speed and decisiveness of military response. Read More in The Nation
3. This Day in its front page lead reports on the elimination of an ISWAP Leader, Abdulsamad Ohida, in an intelligence led operation in Ondo State involving Amotekun, The Nigerian Army, DSS and the Police, he was reportedly planning attacks targeting the Southwest.
An intelligence-led operation by a combined team of troops of the Nigerian Army, Department of State Services (DSS) personnel, and Western Nigeria Security Network, aka Amotekun officers, at the weekend in Owo forest, Ondo State, eliminated a senior leader of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), Abdussamad Ohida.
Security sources said Ohida, aka Anwar, who was on the verge of planning massive terrorist attacks in some southern states, was killed alongside many members of the terrorist organization by the security forces who led a surprise attack on their forest hideout.
According to the sources, the eliminated ISWAP leader previously served as deputy to ISWAP Central Nigeria leader Abu Ikrimah, also known as Abu Uwais. Ikrimah was arrested by the DSS in 2023.
Following Ikrimah’s arrest, continued the sources, Ohida assumed leadership of ISWAP activities across parts of North Central and southern parts of the country, where he subsequently played a key role in the planning, coordination and execution of terrorist operations.
Through the interrogation of Abu Uwais, continued the sources, the DSS was able to gather credible intelligence on plans by Ohida to attack innocent persons during the forthcoming Yuletide.
“The plan was to attack civilians during the festive period and ultimately disrupt the 2027 general elections. This Intelligence was corroborated by intelligence partners from the United Kingdom, who supported the elimination operation,” offered one of the sources. Read more in This Day
4. The Guardian in its front page lead focuses on the fiscal space and the challenges the overlapping validity of the budgets creates for those operating in the fiscal space.
With the 2025 capital budget now running alongside the 2026 appropriation, Nigeria’s evolving capital budget rollover culture is deepening concerns over fiscal discipline, project monitoring and financial accountability.
The latest extension means the 2025 capital budget, originally scheduled to end on December 31, 2025, will remain active until December 31, 2026, a year after its initial deadline and despite the passage of the 2026 Appropriation Act.
The extension risks compromising fiscal accountability, a challenge that is consistently associated with yearly budgets and weakening project delivery, monitoring and reporting.
Last week, the Senate and House of Representatives passed a bill extending the implementation of the 2025 capital budget for the fourth time.
The Presidency had argued that the extension would enable ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to complete ongoing projects and utilise funds already appropriated.
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, similarly argued that allowing the budget to lapse could leave more projects abandoned, particularly those for which contractors were yet to receive full payment.
But the latest extension has also revived concerns about the gap between President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to fiscal reforms and actual budget execution. Read more in The Guardian
5. The Blueprint in its front page lead focuses on the grand finale of the BBNaija Season 11 Show Yasef with Temi Nkem emerging winner.
Temi Nkem has emerged as the winner of Big Brother Naija Season 11, taking the ultimate prize after 70 days of competition in the reality television show.
She was announced as the winner during the grand finale on Sunday night, October 4, 2026, after battling other finalists for the viewers’ votes.
Temi Nkem finished ahead of Bryann, who emerged as the runner-up in the competition.
Temi wins N160m prize package
Following her victory, Temi Nkem will go home with prizes worth N160 million.
Her emergence brings the 2026 edition of the reality show, tagged “Show Ya Sef”, to an end after 70 days of drama, tasks, nominations, evictions and public voting.
The season premiered in July with 24 contestants who entered the Big Brother Naija house to compete for the grand prize.
Nine housemates made the grand finale
The grand finale began with nine housemates still in contention for the ultimate prize. Read more in Blueprint
