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Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Thursday, 24th September, 2026.
1. ‘Every Nigerian Should Go Through Military Training’ – Defence Minister Musa
The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (rtd), has proposed military training for every Nigerian citizen.
According to him, the experience of hunger, exhaustion and physical strain that comes with military training gives people a perspective on life they cannot get anywhere else.
Naija News reports that Musa stated this on the African Leadership Podcast with Ken Giami.
He explained that the experience would help ordinary citizens understand the work carried out by members of the Armed Forces.
The former Chief of Defence Staff noted that citizens who go through such training would understand what it means to continue moving even when physically exhausted, hungry or deprived of normal comfort.
2. $800 Million Ima Gas Project Shows My Reforms Are Paying Off – Tinubu
President Bola Tinubu has said the reforms initiated by his administration in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector are beginning to attract fresh investments, following the $800m final investment decision taken by AMNI International and TotalEnergies to develop the Ima Gas Field.
Naija News reports that Tinubu disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, saying the project was evidence that measures introduced by his administration to make investment in the sector more attractive were beginning to yield results.
According to him, the Ima Gas Field, discovered in 1973, had remained undeveloped for more than fifty years.
Tinubu said his administration had, since assuming office, introduced a series of Presidential Directives and Executive Orders aimed at improving the investment climate in the oil and gas industry.
The President noted that one of the reforms introduced incentives aimed specifically at encouraging the development of onshore and shallow-water gas projects that had remained dormant for years.
3. EFCC Declares Former Pension Boss Abdulrasheed Maina Wanted
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared former Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), Abdulrasheed Abdullahi Maina, wanted over an alleged case of receiving stolen property.
Naija News reports that a wanted notice released by the anti-graft agency on Wednesday identified 61-year-old Maina, an indigene of Biu, Borno State.
The EFCC asked members of the public with useful information about his whereabouts to contact the EFCC or the nearest police station and other security agencies.
The EFCC provided its offices in Ibadan, Uyo, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Benin, Makurdi, Kaduna, Ilorin, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Gombe, Port Harcourt and Abuja as points of contact.
Maina is the former chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team who has previously faced prosecution by the EFCC over allegations involving pension funds.
In November 2021, the EFCC said it secured Maina’s conviction on a 12-count charge involving money laundering, fictitious bank accounts and fraud relating to about ₦2 billion.
The commission said the court sentenced him to a cumulative 61 years, with the terms to run concurrently, and ordered him to refund ₦1 billion to the Federal Government.
4. Tinubu Removed Fuel Subsidy Without Looking At Possible Issues – Kwankwaso
The vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Rabiu Kwankwaso, has berated President Bola Tinubu for removing the fuel subsidy without considering the cushioning effects.
He lamented that Tinubu had plunged Nigeria into a complete economic mess.
Naija News reports that Kwankwaso shared his reservations during an appearance on Arise Television on Wednesday.
He asserted that Tinubu’s decision to remove the subsidy on fuel during his inauguration ruined Nigeria’s economy.
The former Kano governor insisted that Nigerians deserve to buy fuel at a cheaper price.
5. APC Expels Lagos Speaker Obasa Allies From Party
The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has expelled Chief Ganiyu Kolawole Egunjobi and Azeez Yusuf over alleged anti-party activities and disloyalty to the party.
Naija News reports that Egunjobi and Yusuf are known as allies of Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker Mudashiru Obasa.
The state APC chairman, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, announced the decision in a statement on Wednesday
Egunjobi and Yusuf had contested the APC primary elections for Agege Constituency I and Agege Constituency II respectively during the party’s 2026 Lagos State House of Assembly primary election.
The two aspirants failed to secure the APC tickets for their respective constituencies.
The party said that after losing the primaries, Egunjobi and Yusuf went ahead to obtain nomination tickets from another political party instead of remaining within the APC.
According to the Lagos APC, their action amounted to anti-party activity and a breach of the obligations expected of members.
The party also rejected their reported resignations from the APC, saying the move came after the alleged offences and amounted to an attempt to avoid disciplinary consequences.
6. OK Movement Replies Seriake Dickson, Vows Not To Surrender Structure To NDC
The Obi-Kwankwaso Movement, popularly known as the OK Movement, has vowed not to surrender its structure to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
Naija News reports that the group made the declaration in response to a statement by the NDC National Leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, on the role of support groups in the party’s 2027 campaign.
Dickson had argued that support groups affiliated with political parties should not operate as rival structures, but complement it.
However, reacting in a statement on Wednesday, the Director-General of the OK Movement, John Ughulu, said the movement would not allow the NDC or any other organisation to absorb its national, state, local government, and ward structures.
He argued that the movement differed from conventional support groups, insisting it was an independent political organisation.
Continuing, Ughulu also rejected Dickson’s description of the movement’s decision to establish a campaign council as “nonsensical”.
According to him, the movement comprises members of different political parties who support the NDC presidential candidates, Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso.
7. I Want To Be Born Again But What Will Happen To My Bre@sts And Bum? – Bobrisky
Nigerian crossdresser Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, has revealed that he wants to become a born-again Christian but is concerned about what would happen to his body features.
Naija News reports that Bobrisky made this known in a post on his Instagram page while speaking about his friendship with actress Tonto Dikeh and her spiritual transformation.
He said watching his best friend’s new lifestyle has given him peace and made him consider becoming born again.
Bobrisky, however, questioned what would happen to his physical features if he decided to embrace the Christian lifestyle.
8. I Know A Lot, I’ll Expose You To The World – Doris Ogala Tackles Apostle Suleman
Nollywood actress Doris Ogala has criticized the General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries International, Apostle Johnson Suleman, over his comments about the performance of Abia State Governor, Alex Otti.
Naija News reports that Suleman had recently spoken positively about Otti’s administration, saying the governor could win a second term without doing much campaigning.
Ogala, who is the African Action Congress (AAC) governorship candidate in the forthcoming Abia State election, reacted to the clergyman’s comments in an Instagram post.
The actress questioned Suleman’s conduct as a pastor and challenged his assessment of developments in Abia State.
Ogala also alleged that Suleman had not visited Abia State despite making public claims about the situation in the state.
9. Nwabali Takes Swipe At Critics After Super Eagles Recall
Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali has taken a swipe at his critics after earning a recall to Nigeria’s squad for the September 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.
Nwabali, who returned to the national team after an extended absence, shared a video on Snapchat showing his penalty saves against Egypt’s Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush during Nigeria’s third-place play-off at the 2025 AFCON. He captioned the video, “I’m back, it’s time to keep crying.”
The Chippa United goalkeeper played a key role in Nigeria’s 4-2 penalty shootout victory over Egypt after the match ended goalless. He saved penalties from Salah and Marmoush before being named Man of the Match.
However, Nwabali’s fortunes changed after the tournament as uncertainty over his club future left him without regular competitive football.
Naija News reports that Nwabali left Chippa United in February with expectations that he would secure a move to another club. The move did not materialise, and his lack of regular football eventually contributed to his omission from the Super Eagles.
Maduka Okoye subsequently became Nigeria’s first-choice goalkeeper and started the team’s June friendlies against Poland and Portugal. His performances increased competition for the position, while former Arsenal academy goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo also emerged as another contender.
10. Achraf Hakimi To Stand Trial After France’s Top Court Rejects Appeal
Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi will stand trial over an allegation of rape after France’s highest court rejected his final appeal earlier today, September 23.
The Cour de cassation ruled that there were no serious grounds to admit the appeal, clearing the way for proceedings before a criminal court in the Hauts-de-Seine department.
Hakimi’s lawyer, Bertrand Périer, confirmed the decision, saying: “The Cour de cassation has rejected Achraf Hakimi’s appeal, judging that no serious means were of a nature to allow its admission, in accordance with the opinion of the rapporteur and the conclusions of the advocate general.”
The complainant’s lawyer, Rachel-Flore Pardo, said her client remained determined to pursue the case after more than three and a half years.
“After three and a half years of judicial combat, after having been slandered and dragged through the mud by Achraf Hakimi’s defence, my client is determined to obtain justice; she will fight to the end,” Pardo said.
She added that her client hoped the trial would help other women and challenge what she described as denial and impunity surrounding sexual violence in men’s football.
Hakimi’s other lawyer, Fanny Colin, stressed that the Cour de cassation had not examined the merits of the allegation. She said the evidence would be considered during the trial.
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