Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Northern governors and traditional rulers on Monday declared unequivocal support for the immediate establishment of state police, insisting that Nigeria’s centralised policing architecture has become “grossly inadequate” for a nation battling escalating insecurity and a population of more than 200 million people. Their position was contained in a communiqué issued after a high-level security meeting in Kaduna attended by the governors of the 19 northern states, top traditional rulers, and security stakeholders. The meeting, hosted by Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, and chaired by Gombe State Governor, Inuwa Yahaya, focused on the intensifying security crises—banditry, mass kidnappings, farmer-herder clashes,…

Six Lagos-based real-estate marketers were abducted on Friday in Oyebola village, Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State, during an inspection visit to a parcel of land meant for a new marketing campaign. The Ogun State Police Command confirmed the incident on Sunday night, describing the attack as a “disturbing escalation” of criminal activities targeting businesses and unsuspecting visitors in rural communities. Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo, said the victims were part of a team brought from Lagos to assess the land ahead of a sales rollout before they were ambushed by gunmen. “They brought some marketers from Lagos to…

Residents of Bakale village in Kilgori District, Yabo Local Government Area of Sokoto State, have been issued a fresh N20 million levy by a terror gang that threatened to “kill and abduct” villagers if they fail to comply, PLATFORM TIMES can report. In an audio recording obtained by our reporter, the bandit kingpin was heard instructing the village head to immediately reconvene his subjects and deliver the ultimatum. “Did you meet with them? Did they agree to obey your command?” the gunman demanded during a tense back-and-forth with the traditional ruler. After the monarch confirmed he had already briefed residents…

Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has formally dumped the Peoples Democratic Party, citing what he described as “the unending leadership turmoil crippling the party at the national level.” Adeleke announced his resignation late Monday via a statement shared on his verified Instagram page, confirming that his exit letter was submitted on November 4, 2025, to PDP leaders in Sagba Abogunde, Ward 2, Ede North Local Government Area. The governor said the decision became unavoidable as the party’s internal conflicts continued to worsen without signs of resolution. “Due to the ongoing crisis within the leadership of the People’s Democratic Party…

In a sudden development, Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has resigned his appointment with immediate effect, citing health reasons, the Presidency confirmed on Monday. A statement by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, said the minister formally tendered his resignation in a letter dated December 1. “President Tinubu has accepted the resignation and thanked Alhaji Badaru Abubakar for his service to the nation,” the statement read. The 63-year-old former Jigawa State governor, who served two terms from 2015 to 2023, was appointed as Nigeria’s Defence Minister on August 21, 2023, by…

The Nigerian government has granted asylum and special protection to Fernando Costa, the main opposition presidential candidate in Guinea-Bissau, following reports of imminent threats to his life amid a political crisis in the West African nation. Costa, who challenged incumbent President Umaro Embalo in the November 23, 2025, presidential election, was placed under protection at the Nigerian Embassy in Bissau after the military seized power just hours before election results were to be announced, suspended the polls, and imposed a nationwide curfew. In a letter to the President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, Omar Alieu…

The Chief Promoter of the Alternative Movement, Segun Showunmi, has urged President Bola Tinubu to pursue a political solution in the case of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who was recently sentenced to life imprisonment by a Federal High Court in Abuja. Kanu was convicted on seven terrorism-related charges after the court found that his broadcasts advocating for Biafra incited violence and contributed to killings in parts of the country. Following the ruling, the Department of State Services (DSS) transferred him to the Nigerian Correctional Centre in Sokoto. Speaking on Monday at the “Guest…

The Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has called on the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) to deepen collaboration in the valuation of assets from failed banks, stressing that accuracy and professionalism are crucial to safeguarding depositors’ funds. Mr. Thompson Oludare Sunday, MD/CE of NDIC, made the appeal during a courtesy visit by Dr. ESV Victor Adekunle Alonge, President and Chairman of Council of NIESV, and his executive team to the NDIC Head Office in Abuja. “The NDIC relies heavily on credible and precise valuation reports from NIESV members to determine the true worth of assets during the…

Daud Olatunji Babcock University officially entered a new era of leadership on Monday, as Prof. Afolarin  Ojewole was inaugurated as the institution’s President and Vice-Chancellor, pledging a people-centered, capacity-building approach that promises to transform the academic and social environment of the university. Taking over from Prof. Ademola S. Tayo at the Babcock Sports Complex, Prof. Ojewole told the university community, council members, royal fathers, and other stakeholders: “My mission is simple: Build People. Put their development ahead of profit, programs, or politics. Nurture servant-leaders. Transform lives.” The pastor-scholar, whose academic background spans Estate Management, Religious Studies, Theology, Biblical Exegesis, and…

Nigeria’s public debt stock climbed to N152.39 trillion ($99.65 billion) in the second quarter of 2025, up from N149.38 trillion ($97.23 billion) recorded in Q1, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed. According to the Nigerian Domestic and Foreign Debt Report for Q2 2025, released in Abuja on Monday, the country’s total debt, which combines external and domestic obligations, grew by 2.01 per cent quarter-on-quarter. The report showed that domestic debt accounted for N80.55 trillion ($52.67 billion), representing 52.86 per cent of total debt, while external debt stood at N71.84 trillion ($46.98 billion), or 47.14 per cent of the…