Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Monday, 17th November, 2025

Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Monday, 17th November, 2025

The Presidency has confirmed that President Bola Tinubu will soon announce a fresh batch of ambassadorial appointments to fill key diplomatic positions across Nigeria’s 109 foreign missions.

This was disclosed on Sunday by the Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, following sustained public pressure for the appointment of substantive envoys.

In September 2023, Tinubu ordered the recall of all ambassadors, covering 76 embassies, 22 high commissions and 11 consulates, as part of what the government described as a “comprehensive diplomatic review.”

Since then, most missions have been led by chargés d’affaires or senior consular officers, whose limited mandates have reportedly weakened Nigeria’s diplomatic reach.

With several foreign governments offering less recognition to chargés d’affaires, analysts say Nigeria has suffered reduced influence abroad, with reports linking the diplomatic vacuum to recent friction with the United States, including Donald Trump’s controversial comments about religious killings.

Responding to inquiries from Vanguard, Onanuga assured that Tinubu would appoint ambassadors imminently.

The young Nigerian Navy officer, Lt. A.M. Yarima, who recently clashed with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, reportedly escaped an assassination attempt on Sunday evening.

According to Vanguard, sources disclosed that Yarima was trailed by unidentified men dressed in black and riding in two unmarked Hilux vans with no number plates.

The sources stated that the vehicles allegedly followed him from the NIPCO Filling Station off the Line Expressway to Gado Nasco Way.

According to the source, the officer noticed the surveillance and executed a “strategic maneuver,” successfully evading the suspected assailants. The incident reportedly occurred around 6:30 p.m.

The source added that the matter is under investigation and is receiving “the seriousness it deserves,” noting that further details are being withheld so as not to compromise the process.

Naija News recalls that Yerima, while on duty with other security personnel, recently clashed with FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike over a disputed land site in Gaduwa District.

The confrontation, captured on video, sparked widespread public debate and prompted intervention from the Presidency, which subsequently halted the demolition exercise at the site.

Pope Leo XIV has condemned the rising wave of violence, intolerance and discrimination faced by Christian communities in several parts of the world, naming Nigeria, Mozambique, Bangladesh and Sudan among countries where churches and believers continue to come under deadly attacks.

In a message posted on 𝕏 on Sunday, the Pope described the pattern of persecution as “deeply troubling,” urging renewed international action to protect vulnerable religious minorities.

The Pontiff also expressed solidarity with grieving families in Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo, where dozens of civilians were recently massacred in a fresh outbreak of violence.

He wrote, “God is a merciful Father who desires peace among all His children! I accompany in prayer the families of Kivu, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where in recent days there has been a massacre of civilians.”

Calling for an immediate halt to violence, Pope Leo XIV appealed to faith communities around the world to work together to promote peace, stability and the common good.

Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have busted what they describe as a “high-target arms supply network” linked to recent terror attacks in Plateau State and neighbouring northern states.

The secret police confirmed in a statement on Sunday, November 16, that its operatives arrested a suspected arms dealer, Musa Abubakar, following a coordinated intelligence-driven operation carried out on November 12, 2025.

According to the statement, the operation was triggered by credible intelligence which traced the suspect’s activities to an arms-manufacturing workshop located in the Mista Ali area of Bassa Local Government Area in Plateau State.

The DSS said the suspect “confessed to having manufactured and distributed high-calibre weapons and ammunition to armed groups involved in violent attacks in Plateau State and other northern regions.”

Investigators believe the weapons produced in the workshop were supplied to criminal gangs responsible for deadly attacks across several vulnerable communities.

The agency said the raid led to the recovery of several items, including components used for assembling improvised explosive devices (IEDs), chemical substances, and other equipment associated with arms fabrication.

Human rights activist and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, has called for the immediate suspension and arrest of the Senator representing Delta North, Ned Nwoko, over allegations ranging from cross-border sex trafficking to unlawful detention and misuse of state security agencies.

Sowore made the demand in a video posted on his 𝕏 account on Sunday, insisting that the controversy extended far beyond the alleged illegal detention of Regina Daniels’ brother, Samuel Ojeogwu, popularly known as Sammy West.

He said, “The outcry surrounding Senator Ned Nwoko goes far beyond the unlawful detention of his now-estranged wife, Regina Daniels’ brother, Sammy West. What we are witnessing is part of a larger, troubling pattern involving the exploitation of underage girls across borders and the misuse of state power.”

Sowore alleged that Nwoko had a long-standing history of human rights abuses aided by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, whom he described as “now-disgraced” officers acting as the lawmaker’s “private enforcers.”

Abiodun Essiet, Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Community Engagement, has met with influential Plateau State cleric, Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo, as part of renewed efforts to rebuild trust and foster peace in the troubled state.

The visit formed part of a two-day peace mission ordered by President Bola Tinubu, according to a statement issued on Sunday by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga.

Essiet met Dachomo, the regional chairman of the Church of Christ in Nations in Barkin Ladi, along with traditional rulers, Miyetti Allah representatives and community leaders.

Onanuga said discussions between the presidential envoy and the cleric “centred on faith-based leadership and its role in promoting peace, unity, and social development.”

Essiet and Dachomo also addressed widows in the community, delivering President Tinubu’s message of fostering ethnic reconciliation across Plateau.

As part of the peace shuttle, Essiet held talks with Fulani leaders in Barkin Ladi aimed at deepening dialogue and mutual understanding between pastoralist and farming communities.

Nigerian Singer D’Banj has spoken on the split of Mo’Hits Records, saying the decision to end the partnership came entirely from Don Jazzy.

Naija News reports that breakup, which shocked fans and the music industry, was not D’Banj’s choice.

In an interview with Seun Okinbaloye, D’Banj explained that Don Jazzy made the call to go separate ways, and this decision allowed them to maintain a good relationship afterward.

Following the split, Don Jazzy gave D’Banj complete ownership of his music catalog, including unreleased tracks.

This ensured that D’Banj could continue his career without interruptions and keep control over his creative work.

The final major hit from their collaboration, Oliver Twist, marked the end of their time as partners.

D’Banj said that the song was a way to leave a lasting impact on the global music scene before moving on.

Big Brother Naija Season 10 winner, Imisi Ayanwale, has responded to her mother’s recent accusations.

Naija News reports that the reality TV star raised questions about why the matter only surfaced after her rise to fame.

The issue began when her mother posted videos online, saying she had been abandoned and still lived in poor conditions despite Imisi’s N150 million win.

The videos, released on November 16, showed her mother expressing frustration and insisting she would not plead for help.

In her response shared on her Instagram page, Imisi stated that her mother was not involved in her life before her BBNaija victory, saying that long periods would pass without any contact.

She said the sudden public outburst shocked her because the relationship had always been strained.

Imisi explained that she has supported her mother over the years and had sent money even in the days leading up to the controversy.

She added that she cannot use her prize money for personal comfort of one person since many family members now depend on her.

The Round of 16 fixtures for the ongoing FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar have been confirmed following the conclusion of the final group matches on Saturday, November 15, 2025.

Naija News reports that Uganda and Burkina Faso sealed their places in the knockout stage after recording impressive victories over Senegal and Germany, respectively, in what analysts have described as two of the biggest upsets of the tournament.

Other teams that booked their spots in the Round of 16 include England, Italy, North Korea, Austria and Japan after securing crucial wins in their final group outings.

The knockout phase is scheduled to kick off on Tuesday, November 18, with fans anticipating several high-stakes encounters.

The Super Eagles of Nigeria’s hopes of reaching the 2026 FIFA World Cup ended heartbreakingly on Sunday night after a dramatic penalty shootout loss to DR Congo in Rabat, Morocco.

The tense CAF play-off final finished 1-1 after 120 minutes, but it was the Congolese side that held their nerve from the spot, winning 4-3 to move on to the intercontinental playoffs. The Super Eagles, meanwhile, will miss the World Cup for the second successive edition.

With neither team able to find a winner, the game went to penalties, where the tension mounted with every kick. Nigeria missed their first two attempts after Calvin Bassey fired over and Moses Simon was denied. Nwabali responded with two saves of his own, dragging the Super Eagles back into contention.

The shootout reached sudden death, and Semi Ajayi saw his effort saved by Timothy Fayulu. That left DR Congo captain Mbemba with the chance to win it. He stepped up and drilled his penalty high into the net, sparking wild celebrations among the Congolese squad and their fans.