Nigerian Newspapers: 10 things you need to know Friday morning

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

1. Sensitive materials for Saturday’s Osun State governorship election have arrived at the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, in Osogbo ahead of their distribution to the various local government areas. The materials arrived at the CBN premises at about 8:30pm on Thursday under the supervision of officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission and security agencies.

2. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assured Osun residents of adequate security during and after Saturday’s governorship election, urging voters to come out and exercise their franchise without fear or intimidation. Tinubu gave the assurance on Thursday in Osogbo, the state capital, during the All Progressives Congress governorship campaign rally held to formally present the party’s candidate, Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, ahead of the poll.

3. A supporter of the All Progressives Congress in Esa-Oke in Obokun Local Government Area of Osun State, Ayegbo Oluwadele, was yesterday gunned down. Another supporter was also reportedly shot. The incident added to the growing concerns over violence ahead of Saturday’s governorship election in the state.

4. A supporter of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Esa-Oke in Obokun Local Government Area of Osun State, Ayegbo Oluwadele, was yesterday gunned down and another was shot. The incident added to the growing concerns over violence ahead of Saturday’s governorship election in the state.

5. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday assured oil and gas workers that Nigeria’s refineries would be restored to full and sustainable operation, saying his administration was undertaking a structural and economic reset to ensure the facilities do not merely operate but become profitable and deliver value to Nigerians. 

6. The presidential candidate of the Allied People’s Movement and Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, on Thursday announced former Director-General of the Department of State Services, Lawal Daura, as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election. Makinde announced this at the elective national convention of the APM held at the Rilwanu Adamu Square, Government House, Bauchi.

7. The Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill has extended the deadline for the submission of memoranda and position papers on the proposed legislation to Friday, August 21, 2026, at 5.00 pm West Africa Time. The Presidency had on Wednesday, announced that the public submission would close by 5 pm on Thursday, August 13.

8. A suspected member of a kidnapping gang, Sanda Aliyu, has been arrested by the Kwara State Police Command over an alleged plan to purchase an AK-47 rifle for N1.6m in Kaiama Local Government Area of the state. Aliyu was arrested by operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Section on August 3, 2026, following actionable intelligence that he was negotiating with one Aliyu Mohammed, who is currently at large, for the procurement of the firearm.

9. The Nigerian Navy, in collaboration with Operation Delta Safe Sector 4 and the Marine Police, has rescued 22 passengers who were attacked by suspected sea robbers along the Calabar-Oron-Ibaka waterway in Cross River State. The rescue followed the hijacking of a wooden passenger boat travelling from Henshaw Town Beach in Calabar to Utan Uyata, Ibaka, on Tuesday.

10. The Kabiru Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party has endorsed the Accord Party candidate and Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, for Saturday’s governorship election. The faction announced the decision in a statement issued on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong.