Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The Katsina and Plateau state governments have ordered the immediate closure of public schools following a surge in banditry attacks targeting educational institutions across northern Nigeria, PLATFORM TIMES reports. The directives were issued on Friday amid growing fear among parents after fresh cases of student abductions in Kebbi and Niger states intensified concerns over school safety. In Katsina, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Yusuf Jibia, told journalists that the state had no option but to suspend academic activities to protect students and teachers. According to him, the order affects even students currently sitting for examinations. “This decision is…

The Department of State Services (DSS) has arraigned Abdulazeez Obadaki, the suspected mastermind of the 2022 Kuje Correctional Centre jailbreak and the 2012 massacre at the Deeper Life Bible Church in Okene, Kogi State. Obadaki, also known as Bomboy, was brought before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday on a six-count charge bordering on terrorism, conspiracy, aiding violent attacks, concealment of information, and escape from lawful custody. At least 19 worshippers, including a pastor, were shot dead in the 2012 church attack after gunmen armed with AK-47 rifles stormed the service and opened fire indiscriminately.…

The federal government on Friday ordered the immediate shutdown of 47 Federal Unity Colleges nationwide following rising security threats in parts of the country. The directive, issued through a circular from the Federal Ministry of Education, said the closure was approved by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, as a precautionary measure to safeguard students and staff. The memo, signed by Binta Abdulkadir, Director of Senior Secondary Education, cited “recent security challenges in some parts of the country and the need to prevent any security breaches” as the basis for the emergency action. Schools administrators have been instructed to…

As President Bola Tinubu’s 2025 “Budget of Restoration: Securing Peace, Rebuilding Prosperity” unfolds, a new analysis by BudgIT, a civic-tech organisation tracking government spending, has raised deeper concerns about Nigeria’s worsening insecurity despite record-level allocations to the security sector. BudgIT revealed that the federal government earmarked N6.57 trillion—representing 12.54 per cent of total 2025 expenditure—for defence, policing, and national security operations. Its review further showed that state and local governments collectively received N5.9 trillion and N3.8 trillion, respectively, in FAAC disbursements between January and September 2025. Despite these unprecedented cash injections, BudgIT’s analysis shows that the security situation has deteriorated…

Former President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday cautioned that Nigeria’s democracy is under threat from reckless political behaviour, stressing that politics should never be a playground for unruly conduct. Speaking at the 10th anniversary dinner of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, which also marked his 68th birthday, Jonathan called on leaders to anchor their actions on responsibility, nation-building, and restraint. “Politics is not for rascals. It is for people who want to build, not destroy,” he said, lamenting the rising tide of aggressive rhetoric and hostile political conduct that he warned could weaken democratic resilience across Africa. Jonathan highlighted his foundation’s decade-long…

Authorities in Gombe State have dismissed claims that prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members were involved in a fatal road accident, describing the reports as false and misleading. The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Gombe State Police Command said the viral social media posts alleging that 16 corps members died, with two others critically injured, were untrue. FRSC Public Relations Officer, Janet Kassa, told newsmen  that thorough checks across units and commands revealed no record of such an incident in Gombe. “I have confirmed with colleagues, and there is no indication that this happened. This appears to…

The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on the implementation and oversight of the Naira-for-Crude Oil Policy has given Ministries, Departments, Agencies (MDAs), and other stakeholders a seven-day ultimatum to submit requested documents or face “parliamentary consequences.” The deadline, which expires on Thursday, November 27, 2025, follows the failure of several agencies to appear at the investigative hearing scheduled on Thursday, November 20, and their refusal to provide critical documents. Chairman of the committee, Hon. Boniface Emerengwa, described the absence of stakeholders as “gross negligence” and a “blatant disregard for the legislative process.” “Despite ample notice, the majority of stakeholders failed…

Pope Leo XIV has dismissed claims that Christians in Nigeria are being singled out for genocide, stressing that the ongoing violence affects people of all faiths, including Muslims. Speaking to journalists at his Castel Gandolfo residence in The Vatican on Thursday, the Pope said the crisis in Nigeria stems from a mix of terrorism, economic pressures, and disputes over land. “I think in Nigeria, in certain areas, there is certainly a danger for Christians, but for all people. Christians and Muslims have been slaughtered,” he said in response to questions from EWTN News. “It’s important for the government, with all…

The Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) in the South-West has called on the region’s governors to set a minimum pension of N60,000 per month, starting from 2026. Dr. Olusegun Abatan, the union’s Public Relations Officer, disclosed this on Thursday during a briefing in Ibadan on the outcome of a zonal meeting of NUP chairmen and secretaries. Abatan said pensioners in the region continue to face harsh living conditions, urging state governments to review pensions in line with the forthcoming new minimum wage. “It is unfortunate that pensioners’ welfare has remained stagnant. Some states, including Ogun, Osun, Ondo, and Ekiti, are…

A member of the United States House of Representatives, Sara Jacobs, has criticised President Donald Trump’s threat to deploy American troops to Nigeria, describing it as reckless and potentially unlawful. Jacobs spoke on Thursday during a congressional hearing addressing allegations of Christian persecution in Nigeria, a narrative that reportedly influenced Trump’s decision to redesignate the country as a “country of particular concern.” Following the redesignation, Trump threatened that US forces would intervene “guns-a-blazing” to eliminate Islamic extremists allegedly behind attacks on Christians. Acknowledging Nigeria’s ongoing security challenges, Jacobs cautioned against framing the violence solely in religious terms. “Distorting what’s happening…