Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The Ogun State Police Command arrested 14 suspected cultists during a midnight raid on bush locations in Ipara-Remo, Ode, and Isara-Remo, following reports of a clandestine initiation ceremony. The suspects, including 13 males and one female, were apprehended in the early hours of Saturday. Police said the operation targeted members of the Eiye Confraternity, who had allegedly gathered for unlawful assembly and initiation of new members. A total of three locally fabricated pistols, 11 cartridges, four rounds of 9mm Beretta ammunition, cult paraphernalia including caps, charms, a drum reportedly used in initiation rituals, 19 mobile phones, and nine vehicles of…

Members of the Bayelsa United football team narrowly escaped a potentially deadly accident yesterday when one of the tyres of their team bus came off while the vehicle was in motion along the Abuja–Kano highway. The team was en route to Kano State ahead of their Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) Matchday 22 fixture against Barau FC. Eyewitnesses said the sudden tyre failure caused a brief moment of panic among players, coaching staff, and officials on board. However, quick reflexes by the bus driver helped regain control of the vehicle, preventing what could have been a major tragedy. “All members…

The Federal Government has dismissed reports suggesting that Nigerian students are being asked to immediately begin repayment of loans granted under the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND). Addressing the controversy, Olusegun Dada, a presidential media aide, said the claims circulating online were misleading and urged the public to disregard them. In a statement posted on his X account on Saturday, Dada clarified, “Repayment of the student loan will not commence until the applicants have completed the mandatory two-year moratorium following the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). As it stands, the scheme will reach the two-year mark in March 2026…

The Anambra State Government has formally abolished the long-running Monday sit-at-home across the state, warning that civil servants who fail to report for duty risk losing up to 80 per cent of their salaries or forfeiting them entirely. The directive, which takes immediate effect, was conveyed in a statement issued by the Board Secretary of the Anambra State Universal Basic Education Board, Mrs Mgbemena Loveline, following the State Executive Council retreat held on January 21, 2026, and presided over by Governor Chukwuma Soludo. According to the statement, all workers — both teaching and non-teaching staff — are mandated to resume…

A newly married woman has been arrested by the Jigawa State Police Command for allegedly poisoning her husband with rat poison, leading to his death in Gauza village, Jahun Local Government Area of the state. The incident occurred on Friday, January 23, 2026, at about 5pm, when the deceased reportedly returned home and ate a meal prepared by his wife before suddenly developing severe complications. Confirming the development on Saturday, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Shi’isu Adam, said the man was rushed to a nearby hospital but was pronounced dead while receiving treatment. Adam disclosed that detectives from the…

The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested three young men for allegedly unleashing violence and causing widespread panic during a masquerade procession in Mbioto II Village, Etinan Local Government Area of the state. The suspects — Kenneth Bassey, 31; Ofonime Isaac, 25; and Paul Samuel Bassey, 21 — were apprehended on Friday at about 4:45pm following a distress call by residents over what the police described as “serious breach of public peace and disorderly conduct” carried out under the guise of cultural festivities. In a statement issued in Uyo on Saturday, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John,…

The Ghana Police Service has arrested three Nigerian nationals over alleged involvement in SIM box fraud, a cyber-enabled crime linked to massive revenue losses in the telecommunications sector. The suspects — Timileyin Fakunle, 30; Begun Adedeji, 33; and Olamide Roheemot, 28 — were arrested on Friday at the Sakumono Ramsar Site in Accra during a coordinated operation by the Accra Regional Police Command. According to the police, the suspects were part of a syndicate that used SIM box devices to illegally reroute international calls and mask them as local calls, thereby bypassing international termination charges owed to mobile network operators.…

Former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), has accused the Department of State Services and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission of actions he described as calculated attempts to undermine his constitutional rights and frustrate his defence in court. Malami, who is currently facing charges filed by the EFCC, made the allegations in a statement issued on Saturday by his Special Assistant on Media, Mohammed Bello Doka, shortly after his release from custody. According to the statement, although a Federal High Court had granted the former minister bail, the EFCC allegedly delayed the submission…

The Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse III, has said he will not take more than one wife, citing his desire to preserve peace, balance and stability in his family life, despite traditional expectations that monarchs should practise polygamy. The revered Itsekiri monarch made the disclosure during an interview aired on BBC Pidgin and shared widely on social media on Friday. Speaking on the demands of kingship and family life, the monarch said his decision was informed by the need to avoid unnecessary complications at home and to give adequate attention to his wife and children. “I live between public duty…

The family of a recent graduate of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY), Abeokuta, Ogun State, has been thrown into anguish following her abduction by suspected kidnappers who are demanding ₦30 million for her release. The victim, Oladipupo Opeyemi, a Mass Communication graduate who completed her studies last year, was reportedly kidnapped on Wednesday while returning from Abuja, according to family sources. Her father, Mr. Olajide Oladipupo Nathaniel, confirmed the incident in a message circulated among her classmates, disclosing that the kidnappers contacted him later that night through an unknown phone number. “They allowed her to speak with me briefly. She sounded…