Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Friday, 31st October, 2025

Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Friday, 31st October, 2025

President Bola Tinubu has charged the newly appointed service chiefs to go about their duties with dedication and renewed vigour.

This is as the President declared that “Nigeria is in a hurry to celebrate victory over enemies of the state.”

Naija News reports that President Tinubu made the declaration on Thursday at the Aso Rock Villa during the decoration of the new service chiefs with their new ranks.

Those decorated were General Olufemi Oluyede as the Chief of Defence Staff; Lieutenant-General Wahidi Shaibu as Chief of Army Staff; Air Marshal Kennedy Aneke as Chief of Air Staff; and Vice Admiral Idi Abbas as Chief of Naval Staff.

The President performed the decoration alongside Vice President Kashim Shettima and the spouses of the decorated officers.

Tinubu, in his speech at the event, emphasized the importance of security in promoting national development. He assured that his administration would continue to prioritize the protection of lives and property.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday secured a comfortable two-thirds majority in the House of Representatives following the defection of six opposition lawmakers.

Naija News reports that five members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the South-East and one Labour Party (LP) member from Plateau State formally announced their move to the ruling party during plenary.

Those who defected are Daniel Asama Ado (Plateau), Chidi Mark Obetta (Enugu), Phillips Anayo Owuegbu (Enugu), Nnaji Nnolim (Enugu), Denis Agbo (Enugu), and Matthew Nwogu (Imo).

The latest defections increase the APC’s strength in the Green Chamber to 242 lawmakers, leaving the PDP with 74 members. The development cements the ruling party’s dominance in the House ahead of crucial legislative battles.

In their separate letters read on the floor by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, the defectors attributed their decision to what they described as deepening leadership crises within the PDP and LP.

They maintained that divisions within their former parties had made it impossible to effectively represent their constituents, hence their decision to join the APC.

President Bola Tinubu has reportedly approved a 15 per cent import duty on diesel and premium motor spirit (PMS), also known as petrol.

Naija News learnt that the private secretary to the president, Damilotun Aderemi, conveyed Tinubu’s approval to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).

According to TheCable, Tinubu approved the request in a letter dated October 21, 2025, after the FIRS requested that the 15 per cent duty be applied to the cost, insurance, and freight (CIF) to align import costs with domestic realities.

The letter also stated that the implementation of the import duty will increase the price of a litre of petrol by an estimated ₦99.72 kobo.

The president also directed the NMDPRA to issue appropriate regulations to guide the policy, ensuring that local production is prioritised before the issuance of import licences.

He further directed a periodic review of the tariff rate and its continued necessity, including provisions for scaling or sunset measures as domestic refining capacity expands, under the oversight of the implementation committee on crude and refined products sales in naira.

A member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bode George, has revealed that former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, risks expulsion from the party.

Naija News reports that Lamido had threatened to sue the PDP over failure to secure the form for the National Chairmanship position.

However, Bode George, while responding to questions in an interview on Arise Television on Thursday, said Lamido must respect the party rules, stressing he was absent during the last National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party.

Former Senate Leader Ali Ndume has urged the new Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, to demand better remuneration for Nigerian Armed Forces personnel to boost their motivation.

He asserted that better numeration is paramount in boosting the morale of the military in the fight against insurgency, banditry, and other threats that are inimical to the security of the lives and property of Nigerians.

The lawmaker gave the advice on Thursday in a statement he issued in Abuja on the heels of the decoration of the officers with their new ranks by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

General Oluyede and three others were screened and confirmed for their appointment by the Senate on Wednesday.

Aside from the new Chief of Defence Staff, others confirmed by the Red Chamber were Major General Waidi Shaibu as Chief of Army Staff, Rear Admiral Ibrahim Abbas as Chief of Naval Staff, and Air Vice Marshal S.K. Aneke as Chief of Air Staff.

The lawmaker also advocated that the present administration should ensure that the military budget be accorded priority by being placed in the First Line Charge.

Arguing further for better remuneration, the former Senate Leader noted that the salary and allowances of officers and men of the Nigerian Armed Forces are nothing to write home about compared with their counterparts in neighboring West African states.

The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has defended President Bola Tinubu’s decision to review and partially reverse the earlier presidential pardon list, describing it as “an act of strength” and “proof of compassion.”

Speaking on Arise TV’s Prime Time programme, Onanuga said the President was not afraid to acknowledge errors and make corrections when necessary.

Onanuga explained that Maryam Sanda, whose death sentence for culpable homicide was commuted to 12 years’ imprisonment, was considered on humanitarian grounds.

He clarified that those granted reliefs were given clemency, not full pardons, stressing that rehabilitation, remorse, and humanitarian concerns guided the President’s decision.

Onanuga also revealed that the Secretariat of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Prerogative of Mercy had been transferred from the Ministry of Special Duties to the Ministry of Justice for “better oversight and transparency.”

Gospel singer Nathaniel Bassey has opened up on the reason he refused to monetise his viral Hallelujah Challenge on YouTube.

Bassey, while speaking during one of his live sessions of the ongoing challenge, explained that he got a divine instruction not to monetise the platform.

According to him, people are dragging him because he failed to monetise the platform.

The gospel minister also lamented that some individuals have created fake accounts to rebroadcast his live sessions in a bid to make money from his ministry.

Fans have debated the financial potential of the worship programme, with some estimating that monetising it could have generated over ₦1 billion in ad revenue due to its large global following.

Bassey, however, maintained that the Hallelujah Challenge was never about money, saying his choice not to monetise was an act of obedience to God’s leading.

Nollywood actress, Yvonne Jegede, has condemned a comment made by the lead pastor of Light Nation Church in Abuja, Femi Lazarus, on women’s menstrual cycles.

Naija News reports that Lazarus came under heavy backlash after a video from one of his sermons surfaced online.

In the clip, he suggested that women’s mood swings during menstruation were not caused by biology but by their attitude.

“You are not the first woman to see your period, so your menstruation is not the problem. I have never seen anywhere in the Bible any woman complain about menstrual pain. You are simply not a peaceful person,” he said.

The statement sparked outrage on social media, with many Nigerians accusing the pastor of being insensitive to women’s experiences.

Reacting on Instagram on Wednesday, Yvonne condemned the preacher’s comment, urging men to stop making assumptions about things they have never experienced.

Transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has dismissed rumours linking Galatasaray’s star striker Victor Osimhen with a move to Barcelona, saying there have been no talks between the two parties.

Naija News reports that Osimhen, who joined Galatasaray permanently in the summer after a successful loan spell, has been in remarkable form this season. The Nigerian forward has already scored six goals in nine appearances across all competitions, making him one of the standout players in the Turkish Super Lig.

His performances have sparked renewed interest from several European clubs, with Barcelona among those reportedly keeping an eye on him as they plan for life after Robert Lewandowski. However, Romano clarified that while Barcelona are exploring long-term options in attack, there is no ongoing discussion or negotiation involving Osimhen.

“For sure, Barcelona are looking for strikers for 2026, which is important to say because Lewandowski is out of contract and has concrete chances of leaving the club on a free,” Romano explained on his YouTube channel. “So Barcelona are looking for strikers. But at the moment, Osimhen is not negotiating or talking with any club.”

Romano added that Osimhen remains fully focused on his current club, noting, “Barcelona are not negotiating for Osimhen today, and Osimhen is focused on Galatasaray. That is very important to say.”

Real Madrid and the backers of the European Super League are demanding over $4 billion in damages from UEFA, accusing the football body of deliberately crushing the breakaway competition.

The demand comes after a Madrid court on Wednesday dismissed UEFA’s appeal in the long-running legal fight surrounding the controversial project.

The Super League, unveiled in 2021 by 12 elite European clubs including Real Madrid and Barcelona, fell apart within days after massive protests from fans in England and threats of punishment from both UEFA and FIFA.

In December 2023, the European Court of Justice ruled that UEFA’s attempt to block the competition violated European law. A Spanish court later went further, stating that FIFA and UEFA had “prevented free competition” and abused their power in the sport.

A22 Sports Management, the company behind the Super League, said UEFA’s unwillingness to engage in dialogue or reform left it with “no other choice” but to take legal action.