Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Women now hold just 27.5 per cent of parliamentary seats worldwide, marking a meager 0.3 per cent increase from 2025, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) has revealed. The UN-backed report, Women in Parliament 2025, released ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8, described the growth as the slowest in nearly a decade. The report also highlighted a decline in women’s leadership roles in legislatures, with women occupying only 12 of the 75 newly appointed speakerships. According to the IPU, electoral quotas play a “critical role” in improving female representation. In the 49 countries that held elections last year, chambers with…

A former Inspector General of Police, Sunday Ehindero, has revealed that his entry into the Nigeria Police Force was sparked by a personal encounter with corruption on the road. Ehindero said  that while travelling from Abeokuta to Ibadan, he was stopped near Government College, Ibadan by a police sergeant who demanded a bribe. “I did not have the amount he demanded, and he refused to release my vehicle particulars. Eventually, I was forced to buy him a Star Beer and Crolla soft drink before my documents were returned,” Ehindero recounted. The retired police chief said the incident left him both…

Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested Sabastine Odo Odam, a suspected notorious commander of the Eastern Security Network (ESN), in connection with the murder of five police officers and 11 labourers in Isi-Uzo Local Government Area, Enugu State. The intelligence-led operation, carried out on Friday, March 6, also led to the detention of Ejike Daniel, alleged to be a member of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), in Eha-Amufu and Umuhu communities. Sources within the DSS said the suspects were tracked after months of surveillance following repeated attacks on police stations and the theft of…

Egbin Power Plc has unveiled 80 new residential housing units for its employees within its power plant premises in Egbin, in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State, as part of efforts to strengthen staff welfare and improve productivity. The company disclosed that the housing development, completed in January 2026, consists of 40 fully furnished three-bedroom apartments and 40 furnished studio apartments designed to provide a comfortable and secure living environment for workers and their families. According to the company, the project, which commenced in 2025, forms part of its broader strategy to enhance employee welfare and support operational efficiency within…

No fewer than 75 Nigerians have reportedly lost more than N100 million to an alleged visa fraud scheme after being promised relocation opportunities to Canada. The victims, who were said to have paid between N3 million and N12 million each, were allegedly deceived by suspected visa facilitators who claimed they could secure Canadian visas and employment opportunities abroad. Findings revealed that many of the victims sold personal property, borrowed money, or rented out their apartments to raise the required funds, only to later discover that the promised visas were never forthcoming. One of the victims, identified simply as Mr Promise,…

The President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has mocked opposition political parties ahead of the 2027 general elections, declaring that they will remain confused and disorganised until after the polls. Akpabio also expressed confidence that the ruling All Progressives Congress would retain power in the next general election. The Senate President spoke on Saturday in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, during a reception organised by Governor Umo Eno in honour of the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu. The First Lady was in the state to unveil the Akwa Ibom Senior Citizens Centre named after her and dedicated to…

Violence erupted on Saturday during the local government congress of a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party loyal to Nyesom Wike in Oyo State as suspected hoodlums attacked party members and vandalised property across several venues. The attacks were reported in parts of Ibadan and other local government areas where the faction held its congress, leaving several members injured and vehicles destroyed. At Bodija in Ibadan North Local Government Area, suspected thugs reportedly stormed the venue of the congress and disrupted the exercise, forcing participants to flee for safety. A member of the faction, Julius Adekunle, alleged that the attacks…

Troops of the Nigerian Army have reportedly killed no fewer than 45 suspected bandits during a fierce gun duel in Danmusa Local Government Area of Katsina State. However, three soldiers were also confirmed dead during the operation. Security sources disclosed that the confrontation followed an earlier attack by bandits on Alhazawa village in Musawa Local Government Area, where the assailants rustled cattle belonging to residents. According to a counter-insurgency report by security analyst, Zagazola Makama, residents of the community, assisted by some repentant bandits, resisted the attack, killing four of the gunmen and recovering the stolen cattle. Angered by the…

…Says Insecurity Worsening Across South-West States …Calls For Urgent Security Crackdown Daud Olatunji The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has raised the alarm over what it described as a disturbing escalation in kidnapping activities in the South-West, revealing that some bandits now demand virgins and hard drugs as part of ransom negotiations. The group warned that the development reflects the growing brutality of criminal gangs terrorising communities across the region, urging the Federal Government and security agencies to urgently step up efforts to tackle the worsening security crisis. Afenifere made the disclosure in a statement issued on Saturday by its…

The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Communications, Daniel Bwala, has defended his past criticism of the President, describing it as part of political contestation. Bwala spoke on Saturday while reacting to the backlash that followed his recent interview on Al Jazeera’s Head to Head programme with journalist Mehdi Hasan. The presidential aide said comments he made against Tinubu before joining the administration were political and should not be interpreted outside the context of opposition politics at the time. He stated that his current role requires him to promote and defend the policies and programmes of…