Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Tuesday, 18th November, 2025

Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Tuesday, 18th November, 2025

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday attended the 2025 All Nigerian Judges’ Conference of Superior Courts.

Naija News reports that the conference was held at the Andrews Otutu Obaseki Auditorium, National Judicial Institute, Abuja.

Speaking at the event, Tinubu said: “A judgment may be granted in law and delivered with clarity, but unless the public perceives it to be fair, impartial, and authentic, its moral authority is diminished.”

He added that no amount of reforms can succeed if integrity is compromised, adding that justice must never be for sale.

According to the President, corruption in any form, in any arm of government, weakens the nation, but corruption in the judiciary destroys it to the core.

The Federal Government has assured Nigerians that it is doing everything possible to secure the release of female students abducted from Government Girls Secondary School, Maga, in Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi State.

Naija News had earlier reported that gunmen had attacked the school in the early hours of Monday, killing a staff member and kidnapping several students.

In a statement posted on his verified 𝕏 handle on Monday, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the administration shares in the pain of families affected by the attack.

Condemning the attack as “reprehensible,” Idris said security and intelligence agencies have been given clear directives to locate the abducted girls and bring them home safely.

He added that the government remains fully engaged with security formations involved in the rescue mission.

The minister emphasised that preventing further attacks is a key priority for the government’s current reforms.

Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has launched a fresh verbal attack on former President Olusegun Obasanjo, barely 48 hours after the two appeared to have reconciled publicly.

Naija News reports that the renewed outburst came despite Obasanjo’s public declaration of forgiveness during Fayose’s 65th birthday celebration in Lagos on Saturday.

At the well-attended event, Obasanjo had taken a swipe at Fayose over past abuses but said he had forgiven him after several emissaries appealed for a truce.

“You are not the best of my political children, but you have made achievements that must not be ignored,” Obasanjo said.

He narrated how Fayose sent former Aviation Minister, Osita Chidoka, to “sound him out” before personally calling to request his presence.

He added that Fayose had sought forgiveness and that, “as far as I’m concerned, you are forgiven. But the right lessons must be learnt.”

Obasanjo also urged Fayose to reach out to others he may have offended and mend fences.

Throughout the remarks, Fayose sat quietly. However, the fragile peace collapsed less than two days later.

A statement by Obasanjo’s Media Aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, on Monday in Abeokuta, revealed that Fayose sent Obasanjo a ‘Thank You’ message laced with renewed hostility and “unprintable names.”

Former Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, has formally stepped down as Secretary of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), citing zoning principles and the emergence of a new National Chairman from his geopolitical zone.

His resignation followed the election of former Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Kabiru Turaki, as the new PDP National Chairman at the party’s national convention in Ibadan over the weekend.

In his resignation letter dated November 17, 2025, and addressed to the BoT Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, Makarfi said his decision was grounded in long-held convictions about fairness and balance within the party’s leadership structure.

He added that stepping aside would eliminate any perception of imbalance and promote internal harmony within the PDP.

The former governor revealed that the November resignation was not his first attempt to leave the position. He recalled posting a resignation message on the PDP BoT WhatsApp platform two months earlier, but was persuaded to stay.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) announced on Monday, November 17, that Nigeria’s headline inflation rate fell to 16.05 per cent in October 2025 from 18.02 per cent in September.

According to the NBS’s October Consumer Price Index (CPI) report, this marks the lowest annual inflation reading since 2017.

“In October 2025, the Headline inflation rate eased to 16.05 % relative to the September 2025 headline inflation rate of 18.02 %,” the agency stated.

The NBS further noted that on a year-on-year basis the figure is 17.82 percentage points lower than the 33.88 per cent recorded in October 2024.

Naija News reports that when compared with previous data, the easing trend is significant. In September, the inflation rate stood at 18.02 per cent, a decline from August’s 20.12 per cent.

By dropping to 16.05 per cent in October, the rate improved by approximately 1.97 percentage points month-on-month.

This consistent moderation gives policy-makers and households a glimmer of relief after inflationary pressures mounted in earlier months.

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Umar Sani, has claimed that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, asked the party not to field a presidential candidate in 2027 as a condition for the crisis rocking the PDP to be resolved.

Naija News reports that Sani made the claim on Monday during an interview with Arise News.

He disclosed that Wike gave the condition during one of the meetings with the reconciliation committee set up by the PDP Board of Trustees (BOT).

According to Sani, Wike told the PDP that the only condition for peace to reign in the PDP is that the party would not field a presidential candidate in 2027.

He claimed that Wike said if the condition is not met, then it will be a fight to the finish with the PDP.

Social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), said he had to defend himself during a midair clash with media personality Freedom Okpetoritse Atsepoyi, also called Mr Jollof.

Naija News reports that the incident happened on a commercial flight.

VDM said he approached Mr Jollof on the plane to confront him about their feud.

He claimed the situation turned physical after Mr Jollof threw the first punch, forcing him to defend himself.

VDM also said he was bitten during the fight, joking that it almost ruined his tattoo.

Passengers reportedly stepped in to break up the fight and calm the situation.

Nollywood actor Olatayo Amokade, popularly known as Ijebu, has called on Big Brother Naija Season 10 winner, Imisi, to end the rift with her mother.

Naija News reports that he made the appeal in an Instagram video on Sunday evening.

The clash between Imisi and her mother began shortly after she won the N150 million grand prize.

Their family issue became public when Imisi’s mother released a viral video claiming she had been abandoned.

Before her victory, Imisi had talked about her difficult childhood on the show, including early struggles, a broken home, and the pain she carried into adulthood.

She later questioned her mother’s sudden online complaints, saying they had long been distant and that she had supported her financially even before the show ended.

Reacting, Ijebu urged Imisi to visit her mother and bring the matter to an end.

He appealed to her to apologise, reconnect with her, and allow peace to return.

He also warned that the online dragging should stop once the reconciliation is done.

The Nigeria Football Federation has issued a public apology to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Federal Government and the wider Nigerian public after the Super Eagles crashed out of the race for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Naija News reports that Nigeria’s defeat to DR Congo in Sunday’s Africa Play-off Final in Rabat left the nation stunned, marking the second time in a row the team will miss football’s biggest tournament. The NFF described the moment as a painful one that has shaken everyone connected to the team.

The NFF also recognised the extensive backing the team received throughout the qualification journey. It thanked the National Sports Commission, the National Assembly, key ministries and agencies, diplomatic partners, the media and the millions of fans who continued to believe in the team through every high and low.

Looking ahead, the Federation said attention will now turn to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, describing the tournament as a chance to rebuild confidence and reconnect with supporters. A detailed review is expected in the coming days to assess technical and administrative shortcomings.

FC Barcelona have confirmed that the team will step back onto the Camp Nou pitch on 22 November when they face Athletic Bilbao in La Liga.

The match will mark Barcelona’s first competitive outing at their iconic home in two and a half years, bringing an end to a long stay away during the massive renovation project.

Work on the stadium began in 2022 with the goal of turning the historic ground into a modern football hub. The upgrades include an increase in capacity, a new playing surface, stronger internal structures and a range of improvements designed to make matchdays smoother and more enjoyable for supporters.

Barcelona last played at the ground on 29 May 2023, when they defeated Mallorca 3-0. That game now stands as a symbolic farewell before the builders moved in and the club shifted to temporary venues.

As Barcelona prepare to reopen their doors, another major storyline is gathering pace in France, where PSG manager Luis Enrique has taken a strong interest in Atlético Madrid’s Julián Álvarez. Swiss Sky Sports journalist Sacha Tavolieri reports that Enrique “holds Alvarez in high regard” and that a potential transfer is being explored. Atlético, however, are standing firm on a €120 million price tag.