Nigerian newspapers review: [Behind bars for years] 53,790 held in prison without trial

2026-02-24 - 09:57

In today’s Nigerian newspapers review programme, Today in the News, Vanguard’s lead headline states that a staggering 53,790 inmates have remained behind bars for years without trial, underscoring a deepening crisis within Nigeria’s justice system. Another headline states that fire erupted at the Old Terminal of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos, with the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) confirming that all 14 individuals initially trapped were safely rescued. Vanguard also reports that President Bola Tinubu on Monday night vowed that his administration would establish state police to tackle insecurity across the country. Moving to the next paper, The Guardian’s biggest headline states that the surge in pre-election spending and politically motivated liquidity is threatening to erode the limited price stability gained since last year, raising fears of a relapse into the economic instability seen in 2023 and 2024. Next paper, The Punch leads with the Presidency defending President Bola Tinubu’s Executive Order, which halted revenue deductions by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and other agencies. Lastly, The Nation leads the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) commencing a probe into unusual share price movements in the stock market after sharp fluctuations in certain companies’ stocks sparked concerns about possible market manipulation. Vanguard News