Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Tuesday, 21st October, 2025

Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Tuesday, 21st October, 2025

The Nigeria Police Force, has explained that the #FreeNnamdiKanu protesters in Abuja were teargassed on Monday because they violated the court order restraining them from protesting in certain areas of the nation’s capital.

The Police Force also denied blocking roads in Abuja amidst the protests which rocked the nation’s capital.

The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, in a statement on 𝕏, explained that the Police did not block the roads, but cleared it after it was blocked by the protesters.

He added that the Police remain a law-abiding institution and only carried out its constitutional mandate to enable Nigerians have easy passage to their respective destinations.

Hundeyin affirmed that the court order restricting protesters from the Aso Rock Villa, National Assembly, Force Headquarters, Court of Appeal, Eagle Square and Shehu Shagari Way remain in place.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has given the Federal Government four weeks to conclude all negotiations with unions in tertiary institutions or face a nationwide industrial action.

The president of NLC, Joe Ajaero, disclosed this on Monday during an interactive session with labour correspondents in Abuja.

The NLC also condemned the government’s no-work-no-pay policy imposed on the Academic Staff Union of Universities for embarking on its nationwide strike.

The interactive session followed a closed-door meeting between NLC and leaders of tertiary education-based unions at its Abuja headquarters.

ASUU had on October 13 embarked on a two-week warning strike after accusing the government of neglecting long-standing demands, including improved welfare, release of withheld salaries, revitalisation funds, and implementation of the renegotiated 2009 ASUU-FGN agreement.

The federal government of Nigeria has again rejected the claims that christians in the country are targets of a genocidal attack, describing the reports of such as nothing but pure lies.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, who made the fresh denial in a sttement on Monday, submitted that the claims of Christian genocide in Nigeria is a propaganda sponsored by some external forces.

He accused those behind the genocidal claims of attempting to weaken the country’s unity.

Naija News reports Idris made the submisison on Monday in Abuja while speaking at the National Unveiling of the World Public Relations Forum (WPRF Abuja 2026), with the Theme, “Responsible Communication: The Voice of the World.”

He called on the gathering to resist the wrong claims about happenings in Nigeria and instead counter with the truth by using relevants instruments within their purview to cast the country in good light.

The National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dismissed claims by its National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, that his signature was forged on a letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) notifying it of the party’s forthcoming national convention.

Naija News had earlier reported that Anyanwu, petitioned the INEC, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Inspector General of Police over an alleged forgery of his signature.

In petitions dated October 15 and submitted on October 16, Anyanwu denied signing the August 29 letter sent to INEC concerning the party’s planned November 15–16 National Convention in Ibadan, Oyo State.

However, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, while addressing a press conference in Abuja on Monday, said Anyanwu personally signed the INEC letter and several other official documents on August 25, shortly before the party’s 102nd National Executive Committee meeting.

According to Ologunagba, the signing was done in the presence of state governors, NWC members and other senior party stakeholders.

The Federal Government has said that proceeds recovered from corruption cases are being ploughed back into the economy to fund key social programmes, including the students’ loan and consumer credit schemes.

Vice President Kashim Shettima disclosed this on Monday in Abuja while declaring open the 7th edition of a capacity-building workshop for judges and justices, jointly organised by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the National Judicial Institute (NJI).

Representing President Bola Tinubu at the event, Shettima said the administration had directed that recovered loots and assets be used to empower citizens rather than sit idle in government coffers.

“Recovered proceeds of crime by the EFCC are being brought back into the economy to fund critical social investment programmes, including the students’ loan and consumer credit schemes,” Shettima said.

The Vice President revealed that the EFCC had achieved major milestones under Tinubu’s two-year administration, including the recovery of over ₦500 billion worth of assets and more than 7,000 convictions.

The Nigerian Army has confirmed the killing of the Commanding Officer, 202 Tank Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Aliyu Saidu Paiko, by Boko Haram terrorists in Borno State.

The Army, in a statement made available to Naija News on Monday, 20th October, disclosed that Paiko and some other soldiers lost their lives during an encounter with Boko Haram terrorists around the Kashimri general area of Bama Local Government Area, Borno State, on Friday, 17th October, 2025.

The statement, issued by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Appolonia Anele, added that the military successfully stopped the planned Boko Haram attack on civilians in the area, but some of its personnel paid the ultimate price during the encounter.

He added that several of the terrorists were also killed, while others escaped with injuries.

Anele conveyed the condolences of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, on behalf of the officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army to the families of the departed who lost their lives in service to their fatherland.

The statement vowed that the military would continue to discharge its constitutional responsibility to root out terrorism and other criminal activities in Nigeria.

Veteran Nollywood actor, Dele Odule, has stated that the viral story about suffering heartbreak over his relationship with a young female student was completely misinterpreted.

Naija News reports that the movie star, in a recent interview with Punch, said people took his motivational post out of context, turning it into gossip.

Odule said his heart cannot be broken but can only get disappointed by anyone, including family members.

He explained that what went viral was simply an inspirational message, not a confession.

Speaking further, the thespian said people now use social media to twist innocent words to attract attention and engagement.

Nollywood actress Omotunde Adebowale-David popularly known as Lolo 1 has stated that she prefers being a co-wife in a polygamous marriage over being a man’s secret lover.

The media personality spoke in a recent podcast with her colleague, Bimbo Akintola.

She argued that relationships should be guided by honesty and fairness, and it is better for a man to openly have multiple wives than to cheat behind a spouse’s back.

Lolo explained that in a polygamous setup, co-wives share equal treatment and turn, creating a transparent environment that avoids hidden betrayals.

Super Eagles of Nigeria will no longer play their planned friendly matches against Venezuela and Colombia in the United States next month, after the fixtures clashed with the African playoffs for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Naija News reports that the friendlies were billed for November 14 in Houston and November 18 in New York, but those dates now fall within the crucial playoff window set to take place in Morocco.

An official of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) confirmed the cancellation, explaining that the possibility of such a schedule conflict had already been anticipated in the match contracts.

The Super Eagles will now channel all their attention toward securing a World Cup ticket, with preparations expected to intensify in the coming weeks.

Nigeria is looking to return to the global stage after missing the 2022 edition in Qatar, and the NFF has emphasised that nothing will distract the team from that objective.

Kano Pillars Football Club have suspended their Technical Adviser, Evans Ogenyi, and Chief Coach, Ahmed Garba, following what the management described as an underwhelming start to the 2025-2026 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season.

In a statement released on Monday by Kano Pillars’ Media and Communications Directorate, the management said the suspension takes immediate effect and is part of measures to “reposition the team for better results.”

So far, the four-time NPFL champions have managed only two wins, two draws, and four losses from eight games, a performance that the management said falls far below expectations.

The management thanked the club’s supporters for their patience and loyalty, assuring them that steps were being taken to restore the team’s winning form.

The decision came just a day after Pillars fell 2-1 to newly promoted Barau FC in a Match Day 9 fixture played at the Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano.