Nigerian Newspapers: 10 things you need to know Friday morning

Good morning! Here is today’s summary from Nigerian newspapers:

1. Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the Federal Government’s proposed 30-day fuel discount at NNPC stations, describing it as a desperate, temporary gesture that cannot repair the damage caused by the crushing cost of fuel. In a statement issued by his media aide, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the Tinubu administration’s attempt to dangle a fuel subsidy as bait for Nigerians was reckless, disgraceful and scandalous.

2. The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has called on the Federal Government to stop what it described as an excessive focus on the 2027 elections and prioritise the worsening insecurity across the country. The forum said continued attacks, killings, abductions and the destruction of livelihoods by armed groups posed an existential threat to Nigeria. It accused political office holders of paying greater attention to electioneering than to the security and welfare of citizens.

3. The Federal Government is working to bring inflation down to single digits, Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga has said. Onanuga disclosed this while announcing additional measures introduced by the government to support Nigerians amid the global fuel crisis. According to him, the government is also working on a comprehensive package of fiscal measures to sustainably bring inflation down to single digits in the near term.

4. After a seven-day ordeal, the rescued prospective corps members have reunited with their families in Ibadan, Oyo State. The DSS headquarters in Aleshinloye, Oyo State, released them to their family members on Thursday. Their parents and relatives received them after waiting for about three hours at the DSS headquarters, where the youths were debriefed upon arrival in the state capital.

5. The Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation (SSACO) has alleged attacks on All Progressives Congress, APC, candidates, supporters and political activities in Ibadan, Oyo State. The organisation alleged that Alhaja Tawakalitu Alli, wife of the APC governorship candidate, Sharafadeen Alli, was attacked during a medical outreach she organised at Ibikunle House, Ayeye, Ibadan.

6. The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, has appealed for patience as the Nigerian Air Force investigates the crash of its ATR 42 aircraft, NAF 931, in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, which killed all 25 people on board. On Thursday, Aneke led senior Nigerian Air Force officials to join the search and recovery team in Igbokoda as efforts continued to recover evidence from the accident site.

7. The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has commenced the display of the preliminary register of voters and the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) across the states as part of preparations for the 2027 general elections. The seven-day exercise, which began on Friday and runs through October 15, will allow registered voters to verify their details, raise claims and objections, and collect PVCs from the first phase of the Continuous Voter Registration exercise conducted between August and December 2025.

8. At least two people sustained injuries in a multiple-vehicle crash involving two container trucks and three other vehicles at Apostolic, inward Alapere, Lagos State. It was gathered that the accident involved two 40-foot container trucks and three other vehicles. A video of the crash, shared on the official X account of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) on Thursday, showed officials of LASTMA, the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps and the police at the scene managing the situation.

9. The Edo State Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) arrested 42 suspected drug traffickers and seized 271.92348kg of illicit drugs in September 2026. The command also declared a suspected drug trafficker, Gospel Mudiaga Odeh, aka Omega, wanted after he allegedly escaped arrest during an operation. His Toyota Matrix car, drugs and cash were subsequently seized.

10. The National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Senator David Mark, will on Friday inaugurate the party’s Presidential Campaign Council, formally setting its campaign machinery in motion ahead of the 2027 general elections. The inauguration is scheduled for 4 p.m. at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja and is expected to bring together major party leaders and candidates seeking elective positions on the ADC platform.