Nigerian Newspapers: 10 things you need to know Friday morning

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

1. The Senate on Thursday called on security agencies to urgently intensify surveillance and enforcement actions against bandits and terrorists who openly showcase their criminal activities and financial proceeds on social media platforms, particularly TikTok, amid growing concerns over the brazenness of criminal networks operating online.

2. The House of Representatives has passed the state police bill, effectively making way for the decentralisation of the Nigerian policing architecture. The resolution followed the voting by 289 lawmakers in favour of state police during Thursday’s plenary session presided over by the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas.

3. A former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Mele Kyari, has expressed surprise over the arrest warrant issued against him by the Senate Committee on Public Accounts. In a letter dated June 10, 2026, Kyari said he had previously written to the committee on May 8 and that the correspondence was received on May 11, informing lawmakers that he was abroad on medical grounds and unable to attend the hearing physically.

4. The Katsina State Police Command says it arrested 225 suspects linked to various crimes, including kidnapping, banditry, cattle rustling and arms trafficking, in May 2026. The command’s spokesperson, DSP Abubakar Sadiq, disclosed this on Thursday while presenting the command’s operational scorecard for the month.

5. The Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan, on Thursday assured Ekiti people that the June 20 governorship election would be credible. Amupitan said that “INEC is logistically, technologically and operationally prepared to deliver an election that will stand as an unassailable baseline of credibility. A credible election is built upon the integrity of its voter registers.

6. Governor Dikko Umaru Radda of Katsina State has backed down on his decision not to engage bandits terrorising communities across the state, saying the door of negotiation is open to those willing to embrace peace. He said the state government remains willing to engage bandits and kidnappers who genuinely denounce criminal activities, stressing that the state government is willing to facilitate their reintegration.

7. Scores of terrorists, including several commanders, have been neutralised by the Nigerian Air Force, NAF during airstrikes on terrorist hideouts in the Northern Tumbuns area of the Lake Chad Basin. The operation, carried out by the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai, targeted terrorist enclaves in Metele, a known insurgent stronghold in Borno State.

8. The Federal Government, through the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, has received 270 Nigerian returnees from South Africa under the ongoing voluntary return programme. The agency disclosed this in a statement signed by Mr Mohammed Olatunde, Head of Operations, NEMA Lagos Operations Office, and made available to journalists on Thursday in Lagos.

9. Governor Babagana Umara Zulum has announced that the largest Internally Displaced Persons, IDP Camp in Borno State would be closed within one month. The governor stated this in an interview with journalists after an assessment visit to the IDP camp at Government Science Secondary School, Bama.

10. Mexico ignited their World Cup party with a dominant 2-0 victory over nine-man South Africa on Thursday as the biggest ever edition of the global footballing showpiece kicked off at the iconic Estadio Azteca. Julian Quinones scored the opening goal of the tournament and veteran striker Raul Jimenez added a second as the co-hosts’ bid for qualification from Group A got off to smooth start.