Author: Platform Times Newspaper

…Eight DIGs and AIGs Poised To Retire Following IGP Change …Police Command Structure Faces Fresh Leadership Overhaul The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) is set for a major shake-up as AIG Tunji Disu assumed office as acting inspector-general of police (IGP) yesterday, following the resignation of Mr Kayode Egbetokun over pressing family matters. President Bola Tinubu, in a statement issued through his special adviser on information and strategy, Bayo Onanuga, expressed gratitude to Egbetokun for his decades of service, while approving Disu’s immediate appointment as acting IGP. The development is expected to trigger the mandatory retirement of about eight deputy inspectors-general…

The Debt Management Office (DMO) has disclosed that Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) had accumulated a combined debt of N4.002 trillion as of September 30, 2025. The latest figures, released by the DMO, show that subnational debt accounts for just 2.61 per cent of Nigeria’s total public debt of N153.29 trillion. Data from the office indicate that the debt burden is highly concentrated. Ten states alone account for 67 per cent of the total subnational debt, amounting to N2.68 trillion. Lagos State leads the pack, owing N1.045 trillion, which represents about 26 per cent of the…

In a historic boost for Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector, Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals has announced that it will supply up to 65 million litres of petrol daily for domestic consumption, surpassing national demand and positioning the country on the path to fuel self-sufficiency. The refinery plans to export an estimated 15–20 million litres of surplus fuel to international markets. President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, disclosed the development in Lagos, confirming that a structured offtake agreement has been signed with selected marketers to ensure nationwide distribution and curb supply disruptions. “We have agreed on an offtake framework to supply…

The Federal Government on Tuesday dismissed allegations that it paid a multimillion-dollar ransom to terrorists for the release of abducted pupils and staff of St. Mary’s Boarding School in Niger State, describing the report as false, speculative and damaging to national security efforts. The government was reacting to a publication by Agence France-Presse which claimed that authorities paid a “huge” sum and released two commanders of Boko Haram to secure the freedom of 230 hostages. The abduction occurred on November 21 at St. Mary’s Secondary and Primary School in Papiri, where nearly 300 pupils and members of staff were reportedly…

The Federal Government on Tuesday rejected claims of religious persecution in Nigeria, dismissing a recent report submitted to the White House by members of the United States Congress as misrepresenting the country’s security realities. The report, compiled by the US House Committees on Foreign Affairs and Appropriations, followed months of investigation into alleged persecution of Christians and extremist violence in Nigeria. The congressional move came after former US President, Donald Trump, redesignated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern and directed Congressman Riley Moore and Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole to spearhead a probe into religious persecution and terrorism-related violence…

Controversial Islamic cleric, Ahmad Gumi, has defended the continued operation of Sharia law in parts of Nigeria, describing it as a constitutional and religious right of Muslims, amid reported pressure from some United States lawmakers seeking its abolition. Gumi was reacting to reports that certain members of the US Congress submitted a memorandum to President Donald Trump, urging the US government to push for the repeal of Sharia and blasphemy laws in Nigeria. In a post on his verified social media page on Tuesday, the Kaduna-based cleric insisted that Muslims have the right to be governed by religious injunctions, just…

Tension flared in Kano State on Monday as enraged constituents chased a member of the House of Representatives, Tijjani Abdulkadir Jobe, from the venue of the All Progressives Congress local government congress in Tofa Local Government Area. PLATFORM TIMES gathered that the incident occurred shortly after the federal lawmaker arrived at the congress venue, where party members had assembled for the exercise. In a viral video seen by our correspondent, a large crowd was captured shouting and advancing toward the lawmaker and his entourage, forcing security operatives to hurriedly shield him from the surging mob. “We are not doing this…

Peter Obi and other leaders of the African Democratic Congress on Tuesday escaped what their aides described as an assassination attempt by armed hoodlums in Benin, the Edo State capital. The attack reportedly occurred shortly after the formal defection of Olumide Akpata to the ADC in Benin City. Spokesperson for Obi, Yunusa Tanko, alleged in a statement that the former Anambra State governor and other party chieftains were trailed by armed men from the ADC secretariat to the residence of former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, John Odigie-Oyegun. “PO and the leadership of the ADC are under siege…

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Olayemi Cardoso, on Tuesday disclosed that 20 deposit money banks have met the new minimum capital requirements under the ongoing recapitalisation programme introduced in 2024. Cardoso made this known while presenting the communiqué from the 304th meeting of the apex bank’s Monetary Policy Committee in Abuja. The CBN had in March 2024 unveiled a sweeping recapitalisation framework, directing banks to shore up their capital bases within 24 months as part of efforts to strengthen the financial system and enhance its capacity to support economic growth. The exercise, which commenced on April 1,…

The Nigeria Police Force has said the N100 million allegedly traced to the personal bank account of Victor Egbetokun, son of the outgoing Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, was paid in error and subsequently returned. The clarification followed an online report alleging that the funds were transferred from the Anambra State Government’s security vote account into the younger Egbetokun’s account. Reacting during an appearance on Politics Today on Channels Television on Monday, the Force Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, dismissed insinuations of wrongdoing, insisting that the transaction was a banking error promptly rectified. According to Hundeyin, Victor Egbetokun alerted his…