Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Tuesday, 2nd December, 2025

Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Tuesday, 2nd December, 2025

1. Mohammed Badaru Abubakar Resigns As Tinubu’s Minister

Mohammed Badaru Abubakar has resigned as the Minister of Defence in the cabinet of President Bola Tinubu.

Naija News understands that the resignation is with immediate effect.

According to his resignation letter, dated December 1, 2025, the former Jigawa State Governor cited health reasons for his decision.

A State House correspondence on the matter, signed by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed that President Tinubu has accepted the resignation, thanked him for his service, and is expected to notify the Senate of a successor later this week.

Badaru was appointed as Minister in the Tinubu cabinet on August 21, 2023.

His resignation comes amid President Tinubu’s declaration of a national security emergency, with plans to elaborate on its scope in due course.

2. NSA Ribadu Visits Niger State, Makes Fresh Promise On Kidnapped School Children

The National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, has given a fresh assurance that the children kidnapped from St. Mary’s Private Catholic Primary and Secondary School, Papiri in Agwarra Local Government Area of Niger State will be rescued and safely returned home.

Naija News reports that Ribadu gave the assurances on Monday during a visit to the state, where he also visited the Catholic Bishop of Kontagora Diocese, Most Rev. Bulus Yohanna, and families of the victims at St. Michael’s Catholic Cathedral, Kontagora.

Ribadu, who was accompanied by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Bernard Doro, and the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Oluwatosin Ajayi, said President Bola Tinubu has ordered that security efforts be intensified towards ensuring the safe return of the abducted schoolchildren.

According to him, the children “are where they are and will come back safely.”

He said the President had to suspend various other engagements to focus on efforts towards rescuing the children from their abductors.

He called on Nigerians to unite against what he described as a “common enemy,” stressing that evil will not prevail.

3. Details Emerge From Northern Governors’ Security Meeting

An update has emerged from the Monday, December 1, meeting of the nineteen northern Governors, as well as first-class emirs and chiefs under the Northern Traditional Rulers Council from the region, which met at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim Government House in Kaduna State.

Naija News reports that the meeting focused on issues affecting the region, including the challenges of insecurity.

At the meeting, the Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) and Governor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, raised the alarm that the rising wave of insecurity across the Northern region has transformed from a localised challenge into a full-blown national threat.

Calling for urgent structural reforms in the nation’s security architecture, Yahaya insisted that the establishment of state police has become one of the most practical and effective measures for tackling the growing insecurity.

According to him, “putting up the state police remains a very critical and effective mechanism to address present security challenges facing the country.”

He argued that centralised policing no longer meets the demands of a region battling banditry, terrorism, kidnapping, farmer-herder conflicts, communal clashes and other violent crimes that have displaced thousands and stifled economic activity.

4. Police Order Immediate Arrest Of Officers Escorting VIPs

The Nigerian Police Force (NPF) has issued a nationwide directive ordering the immediate arrest of any officer found providing personal security to Very Important Persons (VIPs) outside of official duty areas, strictly enforcing a recent presidential instruction.

A confidential police wireless message, dated November 30, 2025, and issued by Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun, was sent to senior officers across all police formations, emphasizing the urgency and severity of the new policy.

According to Sahara Reporters, the memo, addressed to specialized units like the Mobile Police Force, VIP Protection Unit, Counter-Terrorism Force, and all state and area commands, explicitly stated that any police officer caught escorting a VIP would be immediately arrested.

​The directive includes a serious warning for supervising personnel.

5. Stop Your Cabinet Members From Causing Problems In Opposition Parties – PDP Tells Tinubu

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged President Bola Tinubu to call his cabinet members and other supporters sponsoring the crisis in opposition parties to order.

The PDP accused some loyalists of President Tinubu of intentionally sponsoring a crisis in the opposition parties.

This allegation was made in a statement on Monday by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, in reaction to the decision of the Tinubu government to grant asylum and provide protection to the opposition presidential candidate in the recently concluded Guinea-Bissau Presidential Election, Fernando Dia Da Costa.

The PDP submitted that while it recognizes that the government took the action to safeguard Da Costa and preserve peace and democracy in Guinea-Bissau and, by extension, the West African sub-region, the Tinubu government has failed to extend the same gesture to the local politics in the country.

The PDP called on the President to safeguard democracy in Nigeria as well and refrain from undermining democratic institutions in the country.

6. DHQ Breaks Silence On Niger Republic Army Convoy ‘Invading’ Nigeria

The Defence Headquarters has broken its silence on the 29 November 2025 border encounter in Mazanya community, Jibia Local Government Area, after local vigilante members opened fire on a Nigerien convoy fetching water at about 3:00 pm.

The Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, said on Monday night that the military clarification was critical to dispel misinformation, reassure citizens and reinforce Nigeria’s commitment to peaceful coexistence with neighbouring countries.

According to the Defence Headquarters, the shock incident began when a Nigerien military convoy entered Mazanya to fetch water.

The military headquarters, however, noted that the unusually large convoy size prompted alarm among vigilante members who misread the movement as a hostile advance, leading them to open fire.

Major General Onoja said Nigerian security authorities stepped in immediately, initiating talks with the Nigerien commander to stop the situation from spiralling.

7. ‘Shut The F**K Up’ – 2Baba And His New Wife, Osawaru Clash During Live Show

A mild drama broke out Monday evening after Afrobeats legend, Innocent Idibia, widely known as 2Baba, clashed publicly with his new wife and lawmaker, Natasha Osawaru, during a live Facebook session hosted by media personality, Daddy Freeze.

Naija News learnt that the singer had joined the live broadcast moments before the confrontation unfolded, with audio capturing exchanges from his end.

In a strained, intense tone, 2Baba was heard in the background saying, “Shut the f up, you need to shut the f*** up.”

His wife, Osawaru, replied swiftly, her voice audible though off-camera, “Innocent, bring that phone, let him see us together.”

She was also heard asking, “Is that Daddy Freeze’s?” before demanding the phone be turned toward them.

During the phone tussle, 2Baba was also heard, in frustration, warning, “See what you are doing,” shortly before the audio transmission abruptly ceased from his side.

As confusion snowballed on the live stream, host Daddy Freeze stepped in to address stunned viewers, urging calm while acknowledging uncertainty, saying, “Guys, calm down. Let’s hope there will be stability so that we will know what is going on.”

Daddy Freeze terminated the Facebook Live session shortly after the incident.

8. I Have No Issues With My Husband Being Friendly With His Exes – Temi Ajibade

Nollywood actress and billionaire heiress, Temi Ajibade has shared her thoughts on the kind of relationship she feels her husband, Mr Eazi should have with his former lovers.

Speaking on the show, How Far, the fashion enthusiast stated that she has no issues with her husband being friendly with his ex-girlfriends as long as boundaries are respected.

Ajibade drew a clear line between being polite and overstepping, stating that simple gestures like birthday wishes are acceptable, but monitoring social media or liking pictures is where she feels uncomfortable.

9. Refereeing Chief Rejects Claims Nigeria Was Snubbed For AFCON 2025

Nigeria’s refereeing leadership has dismissed talk that the Confederation of African Football deliberately left the country out of its officiating team for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco.

Naija News reports that CAF published a list of 73 match officials for the tournament, covering referees, assistant referees and VAR specialists.

Many supporters questioned how a nation with Nigeria’s stature in African football could be missing entirely.

The President of the Nigeria Referees Association, Sani Zubairu, has now moved to clear the air.

Zubairu, a retired FIFA referee, said the suggestion that CAF shut out the country was unfair and did not reflect what truly happened.

10. Maduka Okoye Reflects On Watford Struggles As Udinese Form Sparks EPL Interest

Maduka Okoye has reflected on the difficult spell he endured at Watford, a period he describes as one of the most testing in his career, before rebuilding his form and reputation with Udinese in Serie A.

The Nigerian goalkeeper, now one of the league’s standout performers, joined Watford in the summer when the club dropped out of the Premier League. He arrived while still recovering from shoulder surgery, and the transition proved far from smooth.

“My time at Watford was challenging, a lot was happening, not only on the pitch but also off it. I was younger and dealing with many things at the same time, including recovering from shoulder surgery. It was a tough period,” Maduka Okoye told Footy-Africa.

Okoye, 26, admitted that the tough phase taught him valuable lessons. He said, “Maybe I didn’t deal with some situations in the best way, but I learned from them and I’ve grown a lot. I got another chance at Udinese, and I took it. I’ve become a better player and a better man.”

Okoye never made a league appearance for Watford before being sent on loan to Sparta Rotterdam, yet his resurgence in Italy has been remarkable. He has cemented himself as Udinese’s first-choice goalkeeper, consistently earning praise for his performances.

His strong form has also attracted attention from English Premier League sides, including Bournemouth, who were linked with him during the last transfer window. Okoye welcomed the speculation but stressed that he remains fully committed to his current club.

That’s the top Nigerian newspaper headlines for today. Read more Nigerian news on Naija News. See you again tomorrow.