Author: Platform Times Newspaper

An Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Uyo has sentenced four men to death by hanging for the kidnapping of a retired ExxonMobil worker, Mr Idongesit Demas Udom, and the amputation of his hand after collecting a ₦5m ransom. The convicts—Chinatu Iwe Abraham, 38, from Isiala Ngwa in Abia State; William ThankGod Sunday, 30; Ubon Monday Ebebe, 30; and Saturday Jonah Udo, 43—were found guilty of conspiracy, kidnapping and wounding with intent to maim, disfigure or disable. Delivering judgment after a four-hour reading, Justice Gabriel Ette held that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, relying on the…

In a major political shake-up in Taraba State, Governor Dr Agbu Kefas on Sunday formally resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and joined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), saying the move was driven by his desire to align with President Bola Tinubu’s development vision for the country. Kefas completed his defection after registering as an APC member and receiving his membership card at a brief ceremony conducted by executives of the party in the state. The governor disclosed that a public declaration ceremony to formally announce his switch would be held in the coming days. Speaking shortly after…

A fresh crisis has hit the Accord Party in Osun State as another faction on Sunday produced a separate governorship candidate ahead of the 2026 election. The factional primary, held in Osogbo, resulted in the emergence of Mr Clement Bamigbola as the party’s candidate, barely four days after Governor Ademola Adeleke was announced as the Accord Party’s flagbearer in a parallel exercise. Adeleke had emerged earlier in the week from a primary conducted under the leadership of Barrister Maxwell Mgbudem, shortly after his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party. However, the process was immediately rejected by a faction of the…

The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) has launched fresh investigations into corruption allegations involving former ministers, serving top government officials and other senior public office holders across the federal and state levels, signalling a renewed push against high-profile graft. The CCB Chairman, Dr Abubakar Bello, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja, revealing that at least one former minister has already been dragged before the courts, while others, including a serving senior official, are currently under investigation. “We have started investigating high-profile individuals. There is a former minister we have already taken to court,”…

The Federal Government has banned the admission and transfer of students into Senior Secondary School Three (SS3) in all public and private secondary schools across the country, in a decisive move to curb examination malpractice. The directive, issued by the Federal Ministry of Education, is aimed at checking the growing abuse of so-called “special centres” and other examination irregularities that have continued to undermine the credibility of Nigeria’s education system. According to a statement released on Sunday by the Director of Press and Public Relations in the ministry, Folasade Boriowo, the policy will take effect from the 2026/2027 academic session.…

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says it recovered a total of ₦37.44 billion and $2.35 million in 2025 through asset seizures and forfeitures, describing the figure as one of the highest annual recoveries in the history of the commission. The ICPC Chairman, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN, disclosed this in Abuja during the commission’s End-of-Year Engagement, which also featured a send-off ceremony for retiring staff and the presentation of annual merit awards. In a statement issued on Sunday by the commission’s spokesperson, Mr Okor Odey, Aliyu said the recoveries reflected what he described as a…

Abeokuta Polo Club has announced plans to host its maiden Polo Festival in partnership with MTN Nigeria, in a move expected to elevate the city’s profile as an emerging hub for elite sports, lifestyle and tourism in the South-West. The historic festival, the first of its kind in Ogun State, is designed to blend the rich heritage of polo with contemporary social and cultural experiences, attracting polo enthusiasts, corporate executives, high-net-worth individuals and socialites from across the country. President of the Abeokuta Polo Club, Dr. Sheriff Adams Abdulrahman, described MTN’s support as a major endorsement of the club’s vision to…

The Lagos State Chapter of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) on Friday marked a major milestone as it hosted the 10th edition of the Lagos Public Relations Industry Gala and Awards (LaPRIGA 2025), honouring outstanding professionals, agencies and organisations shaping Nigeria’s public relations landscape. The anniversary edition, held at the MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos, attracted a cross-section of communication experts, corporate leaders, public sector executives, academics and media practitioners, reinforcing LaPRIGA’s reputation as Nigeria’s flagship PR awards and one of the most credible platforms in Sub-Saharan Africa. With the theme “Nox Excellentia – Night of Excellence,” the event…

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a notorious supplier of illicit drugs to bandits operating in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, weeks after he fled during a raid on his residence. The suspect, Mohammed Sani, 33, also known as Gamboli, was apprehended on Thursday, December 11, at a drug joint in Anguwan Fadama, Kuta, following weeks of intelligence-led surveillance by NDLEA officers. His arrest came three weeks after NDLEA operatives raided his home at Anguwan Makera, Kuta, on November 20, where they recovered 471.8 kilograms of skunk, a potent strain of cannabis. Sani,…

The state of Nigerian universities is set to take center stage tonight as two eminent scholars lead a critical discourse on the perceived decline of the nation’s higher education system. The 38th edition of the monthly Boiling Point Arena programme, themed “Quality vs Quantity: How Nigerian Universities Lost Their Competitive Edge in Global Standards and The Path to Rebuilding Excellence,” will hold tonight, Sunday, December 14, 2025, at 8pm. Hosted by veteran media professional and public relations strategist Dr. Ayo Arowojolu, the session promises to probe whether Nigerian universities are victims of systemic neglect or complicit in their own diminishing…