Nigerian Newspapers: 10 things you need to know Saturday morning morning

Good morning! Here are today's key headlines from Nigerian newspapers:

1. The FBI has requested permission to submit a confidential statement explaining why it is withholding certain records tied to a drug-trafficking investigation involving President Bola Tinubu. The request was made in a US court application dated August 20.

2. Presidential candidate Peter Obi has challenged President Tinubu and other 2027 election hopefuls to publicly defend their records and subject their programs to scrutiny. Obi made this call at a world press conference marking the start of the campaign season.

3. The Osun State chapter of the Nigeria Immigration Service has paraded 55 illegal migrants, mostly from Cameroon and Congo, arrested in the state. The migrants entered without valid travel documents.

4. The Kaduna State police have rescued 75 people, including men, women and children, who were abducted near Folwaya village in Birnin Gwari LGA. The victims were kidnapped by armed men wielding AK-47s and taken to a cave in the forest.

5. A road accident near Jezco Filling Station on the Awka-Enugu Expressway in Anambra State claimed two lives and injured two others. The crash caused major traffic congestion.

6. Kaduna State Governor Nyesom Wike revealed the formation of a broad "rainbow coalition" to back Tinubu's re-election bid in 2027. Wike made the announcement during a visit with Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke.

7. President Tinubu has ordered the arrest of the alleged promoter of a fictitious Federal Government agency called National Brands Development and Made-in-Nigeria Special Project Office. He also suspended three permanent secretaries connected to the scam.

8. The Federal Government declared Tuesday, August 25, 2026 a public holiday to observe Eid ul Mawlid, marking the birth of the Prophet Muhammad. The Interior Minister announced the holiday on behalf of the government.

9. Kwara State Senator Saliu Mustapha has defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and chosen the PDP's candidate to contest the 2027 senatorial seat in Kwara. Mustapha resigned from the APC after a dispute with Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

10. The Benue State police have rescued 13 passengers abducted by suspected armed herdsmen along the Otukpo-Adoka Road while en route to Abuja from Enugu. The attack happened on August 14 and five passengers were initially freed by police.