November 21, 2025 – Nigeria Headlines

Story gist: Bandits abducted worshippers in Kwara state and demanded N100 million ransom per victim from their families.

Bias summary: Left- and right-leaning outlets provided no coverage, omitting any framing from those perspectives. Center outlet Punch Newspapers reported neutrally on bandits’ N100m per-victim ransom demands for abducted Kwara church worshippers, citing relatives without emphasis on tone, causation, or broader implications.

Story gist: Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu delayed his G20 trip amid a search for 24 abducted schoolgirls in Kebbi State. The PDP told Tinubu his visit to Kebbi and other areas will boost troops’ morale.

Bias summary: Left-leaning outlets like Al Jazeera emphasize Tinubu delaying his G20 trip to focus on the schoolgirls’ abduction, highlighting domestic security priorities. Center outlets like Businessday NG report PDP’s statement that the visit will boost troop morale, presenting opposition support. Right-leaning coverage is absent, omitting potential defenses of Tinubu’s leadership or criticism of opposition.

Story gist: A US lawmaker stated that Nnamdi Kanu’s case highlights religious persecution in Nigeria. The lawmaker described Nigeria as facing one of the world’s worst religious freedom crises.

Bias summary: No left- or right-leaning outlets covered the story, leaving progressive and conservative perspectives absent. Center outlet Punch Newspapers framed the event through a US lawmaker’s lens, emphasizing Nigeria’s severe religious freedom crisis with strong phrasing like ‘one of world’s worst’ and tying it directly to Nnamdi Kanu’s case to highlight persecution.

Story gist: Gunmen kidnapped 25 schoolgirls from GGCSS Maga in Kebbi State, Nigeria. President Tinubu directed Matawalle to relocate to Kebbi.

Bias summary: Left-leaning outlets absent, omitting potential emphasis on government security failures. Center outlet BBC reports neutrally on the kidnapping event in Kebbi State, focusing solely on the abduction without government response. Right-leaning outlets also missing, lacking coverage of President Tinubu’s directive to Matawalle, which highlights official action.

Story gist: A Nigerian court sentenced Nnamdi Kanu to life imprisonment for terrorism.

Bias summary: Left-leaning outlets absent, omitting pro-Kanu or anti-government perspectives. Center (Vanguard News) emphasizes criticism, quoting Archbishop Onuagha calling the sentencing irresponsible. Right-leaning (The Nation Newspaper) highlights judicial reasoning, with Justice Omotosho explaining why death penalty was not imposed instead of life term, framing it as deliberate leniency.