Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Saturday, 4th October, 2025

Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Saturday, 4th October, 2025.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, is unperturbed by reports that former President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan, is set to contest the 2027 presidency.

This position was made known by his media aide, Paul Ibe, while reacting to speculations that Jonathan might contest the 2027 presidency.

Speaking in an interview with Trust TV, Ibe said Atiku would welcome the competition, noting that everyone reserves the right to test his/her popularity with Nigerians at the polls.

“As a democrat, Atiku’s policy is the more the merrier. Everyone should go to the field and test their popularity. These narratives and shenanigans are the handiwork of the Tinubu administration, which knows how difficult re-election will be given its record. Their policies only work for the urban bandits,” he said.

Speaking further, Naija News reports that Ibe described Atiku as a very tolerant person, who is passionate about Nigeria and respects the people.

“Who can be more broad-minded than Atiku Abubakar? He is an open book. He’s very tolerant, very passionate about Nigeria. He respects people, loves bright minds, and during the Obasanjo era, he brought some of the best talents into government,” he said.

During the interview, Ibe also declared that his principal was already wealthy before he got into government.

According to Ibe, Atiku is not only wealthy, but the source of his wealth is legitimate.

Former President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan, on Friday, recounted the abduction of the Chibok secondary school girls in 2014, describing it as a scar on his legacy.

Speaking on Friday at the public presentation of ‘SCARS: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum’, a memoir by former Nigerian Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, Jonathan said no plastic surgeon can remove the scar of the Chibok girls’ abduction, stating that he would die with the pain.

He, however, praised Irabor, describing him as a good soldier who stood for the truth and never played politics with issues of security.

Naija News reports that 276 schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno State, were abducted in 2014 by Boko Haram insurgents. Although some were later freed or escaped, about 80 children remain in captivity, with their fate uncertain.

Speaking at the presentation of the book by Irabor, Jonathan said, “The title of this book is quite interesting. One of the major scars on my government is the Chibok Girls.

Despite the submission, Jonathan clarified that his administration wasn’t complacent about fighting the Boko Haram terrorists, recalling that Boko Haram began in 2009 when he was Vice President under Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, and intensified under his rule.

He added that he hoped Muhammadu Buhari, who succeeded him, would win the battle against the insurgents, but that has not been the case, and the war is still ongoing.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has disclosed that Boko Haram insurgents once chose the late ex-President Muhammadu Buhari to negotiate with the Nigerian government on their behalf.

According to him, the insurgents chose Buhari after his administration set up several committees to explore dialogue with the group.

Jonathan made the revelation on Friday while speaking at the public presentation of “Scars,” a book authored by former Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Lucky Irabor (retd.) in Abuja.

Jonathan noted that the inability of Buhari to eradicate Boko Haram terrorists showed that the crisis was more complex than often portrayed.

A Federal High Court sitting in Warri, Delta State, has ordered the Nigeria Police Force and the Inspector-General of Police to maintain the status quo in a suit filed by lawyer John Aikpokpo-Martins.

Naija News reports that the lawyer is challenging the legality of the new tinted permit enforcement.

The court issued the interim order as the hearing opened in Suit No. FHC/WR/CS/103/2025, instituted by legal practitioner Aikpokpo-Martins against the Inspector-General of Police and the Nigeria Police Force.

In the interim order, the Court directed the police authorities to “respect judicial processes pending further proceedings in the matter.”

Senior Advocate Kunle Edun (SAN), who led the legal team for the petitioner, confirmed the development to journalists and noted that “the directive is a major step in ensuring that the rule of law is upheld while the substantive issues in the case are being determined.”

The Nigeria Police had earlier revived the tinted permit policy through its digital platform POSSAP, citing public complaints of harassment of motorists with factory-fitted tints.

Official enforcement commenced in June 2025 after a 30-day grace period, though it was later extended twice, first to August and then to October, to allow motorists more time to comply.

The renewed push was defended on security grounds, with the police arguing that criminals often exploit vehicles with opaque glass to evade detection.

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) had defended its position on the tainted glass permit, insisting that it is aware of a report in a national daily claiming that the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) had also dragged IGP Egbetokun to court over the Tinted-Glass permit policy.

In a statement, Force Spokesperson, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, said it is important to set the records straight to avoid misinformation to the good citizens of Nigeria on the legality of the issuance of tinted permits by the Police.

The Sultan of Sokoto and Chairman of the Northern Traditional Rulers Council, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, has strongly rejected the widespread notion that Islam encourages the killing of non-Muslims in the name of Jihad.

Speaking in Abuja at the public presentation of the book, Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum, authored by former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Lucky Irabor (retd.), the monarch said Jihad has been misinterpreted for decades.

Naija News reports that the Sultan also addressed the misconception that Islamism is about seizing political power, stressing that Islam’s focus is on justice and good governance, not domination.

The monarch further cautioned against extremism, noting that Islam has a clear code of conduct based on the Qur’an, the Hadith, and the consensus of Islamic scholars (Ulama).

“And these are written. So, we have a code of conduct; we have ways and means of life. Anybody coming outside these to say things that he really doesn’t know about is not for Islam because Islam abhors extremism. You cannot be an extremist and then claim to be a good Muslim,” he said.

He warned Nigerians to be cautious in their choice of words when discussing insecurity, urging unity and cooperation across religious and ethnic lines.

The media adviser to former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, Paul Ibe, has revealed why his principal is yet to formally declare his intention to run for the 2027 presidency.

Speaking in an interview with Trust TV, Ibe disclosed that Atiku is intentionally holding back his declaration in order to build a credible political structure that can support the 2027 race.

The media aide submitted that some political actors want Atiku to fall for the bait of early declaration.

He, however, stated that, before the 2027 tsunami begins, the former Vice President is focused on building a viable political platform for the coalition that can withstand whatever storm may come in the bid to unseat President Bola Tinubu.

Naija News reports that Ibe, however, reiterated the commitment of Atiku to the coalition-backed African Democratic Congress (ADC), stating that there is no turning back on the decision to join others, such as former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, in pitching his tent with the ADC coalition.

He added that when the time is right, Atiku will make a formal declaration for the 2027 presidency.

The statement follows earlier clarification that Atiku has not stepped down for another presidential aspirant ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Reports earlier suggested that Atiku vowed he would step aside from the 2027 presidential contest if a younger aspirant defeated him to secure the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ticket.

The Wazirin Adamawa reportedly made this known during an interview with the BBC. He explained that his focus for now is to help build the ADC into a strong party with national and grassroots structures.

However, in a statement released on Thursday by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, Atiku described the reports as a deliberate misrepresentation of his recent interview with the BBC Hausa Service.

The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has expressed deep concern over the wave of attacks ravaging communities in Kwara and Kogi states, warning that they are part of deliberate attempts by territorial expansionists and terrorists to destabilise Nigeria.

The group said the recent killings, abductions and destruction of villages in the Middle Belt should not be dismissed as ordinary banditry or ransom operations, but as a much bigger plot to carve out chiefdoms and endanger the lives of ordinary Nigerians.

In a statement issued in Ibadan on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, Afenifere also commiserated with the governments and people of both states over the string of calamities that have struck in recent weeks, including a boat mishap and severe flooding.

The group stressed that the level of violence and the type of weapons used in the recent invasions in Kwara went far beyond what could be attributed to local criminals.

The pan-Yoruba group warned that those aiding or financing these terror groups should not think they would be immune from the chaos they were creating.

Legendary Nigerian singer, Innocent Idibia, also known as 2Baba, has reacted to viral reports and claims that he was arrested in London.

Naija News reports that a blogger had alleged that 2Baba had an altercation with his wife, Natasha.

According to the blogger, 2Baba’s absence from his UK tour on Thursday was because he was detained on the grounds of domestic violence.

In response, the musician, in a post via Instagram, revealed that he had a tough medical emergency and thanked his fans who came out for the show, promising a regroup.

2Baba added that people should learn to give credible information.

He said, “First of all, I want to say everyone that came out, I appreciate you. We had a medical emergency, it was tough. To the organizers and everyone that came out, we go regroup and make something beautiful happen. And please, if una no sabi something, make una no talk abeg. This allegedly, I don tire.”

Nigerian singer, Deborah Oluwaseyi Joshua, popularly known as Seyi Shay, has revealed that she was once part of the Illuminati.

Naija News reports that the Right Now crooner made this disclosure during an appearance on the OffAir podcast with Gbemi and Toolz.

A short video from the show surfaced online on Thursday.

Seyi Shay, who rose to fame with songs like Yolo Yolo, explained that her entry into the Illuminati marked a phase in her career.

She added that people in the entertainment industry are aware of those who have such connections.

She said that while the public may not know much, insiders in the industry often recognise those who were once linked to the group.

She said, “That’s when I was in the Illuminati. That’s when I joined the Illuminati. That’s when it was official. Do you understand? I was an Illuminati member.

“People know who they are because, and maybe if they watch this, they probably won’t remember, you know, because people who do messed-up stuff always forget. It’s not the fans, guys. It’s the people in the industry. It is not the fans. It is the people that work with me, work with her, work with this one, work with that one.”

As domestic basketball leagues across North America, Europe, and Asia prepare to tip off, several Nigerian players have signed new contracts that will see them embark on fresh adventures in the 2025/26 campaign.

From the NBA to the WCBA, these stars are set to fly the Nigerian flag high on the global stage.

Below are the top Nigerian basketball players who are expected to make fresh starts this season
Josh Okogie Joins Houston Rockets

Josh Okogie was arguably the biggest Nigerian name on the move this summer after sealing a free-agent deal with the Houston Rockets.

The 26-year-old guard will reunite with his former Phoenix Suns teammate, Kevin Durant, as the Rockets look to mount a serious challenge for the NBA title under Nigerian-American coach Ime Udoka.

Okogie, who has seven years of NBA experience, will be a key part of Houston’s plans, especially on the defensive end. He averaged 6.3 points and 3.0 rebounds across 416 career games and ranked fourth in steals per 36 minutes (2.8) last season.

The Rockets begin their pre-season campaign with scrimmages against the Atlanta Hawks, Utah Jazz, and New Orleans Pelicans before tipping off the regular season on October 22 against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Okogie also returned to national team duty this summer, representing D’Tigers at the 2025 FIBA AfroBasket in Angola, where Nigeria reached the quarter-finals.