Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has declared that the former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, played a pivotal role in ensuring the emergence of President Bola Tinubu, insisting that the embattled politician deserves better treatment while in detention. In a statement issued on Monday and signed by its Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, the Islamic human rights group said El-Rufai was instrumental in mobilising northern political support that helped secure Tinubu’s victory in the 2023 presidential election. MURIC maintained that its advocacy for a southern presidency, particularly a Yoruba Muslim candidate, informed its engagement with key political actors ahead…

Daud Olatunji BudgIT, a civic technology organisation, has raised concerns over widespread opacity in Nigeria’s local government financial management, revealing that only 10 states currently provide publicly accessible budgets for their local government areas (LGAs). The organisation disclosed this in a report titled “The Missing Tier: Mapping Local Government Budget Transparency in Nigeria,” noting that six states publish partial or outdated LGA budget information, while 18 states do not publish any at all. According to BudgIT, despite local government finances being drawn from statutory allocations in the federation account, most of the 774 LGAs in the country still operate without…

…Says Middle East Crisis Could Worsen Fuel, Transport Costs …Tasks Govs With Implementing Citizen-Focused Interventions Daud Olatunji President Bola Tinubu has warned state governors that the ongoing crisis in the Middle East could trigger a fresh wave of inflation in Nigeria, urging them to roll out additional incentives to cushion the impact on citizens. Tinubu gave the warning on Sunday while hosting Vice-President Kashim Shettima and 23 state governors at his Lagos residence during the Eid-el-Fitr celebrations. The President said escalating tensions involving the United States, Israel and Iran were already posing risks to global energy prices, with potential ripple…

No fewer than nine aspirants under the Peoples Democratic Party have stepped forward in the race to succeed Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, ahead of the 2027 governorship election, as a high-level advisory council begins consultations to shape the party’s choice. It was gathered  that the council, chaired by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Bolaji Ayorinde, has commenced a series of engagements with aspirants in what insiders described as a strategic move to ensure transparency and inclusiveness in the emergence of the party’s flag bearer. The initiative, backed by Makinde, is aimed at giving all interested contenders a level playing field…

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum has formally submitted its position on the proposed establishment of state police to the National Security Adviser, paving the way for legislative consideration by the National Assembly. The Chairman of the forum and Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, disclosed this after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu at his Ikoyi residence in Lagos. He said the document, developed in collaboration with key security stakeholders, would form part of the framework to guide the creation of state police across the country. AbdulRazaq noted that deliberations on the initiative were being coordinated by the National Security Adviser,…

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have arrested two suspected informants linked to the terrorist group Boko Haram in Borno State. The suspects were apprehended in the Mainok area of Kaga Local Government Area during an early morning operation on March 18, 2026, following credible intelligence on the movement of suspected collaborators within the community. Security sources said that the troops, drawn from the 156 Task Force Battalion, acted swiftly on information provided by local informants, leading to the arrest of the two civilians at about 3am. “During the operation, two civilians suspected to be informants for Boko Haram were apprehended,”…

The Anambra State Police Command has arrested a suspected officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and two other persons over alleged involvement in armed robbery and cult-related activities in Ogidi, Idemili North Local Government Area of the state. The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday in Awka, noting that the arrests followed a targeted operation based on credible intelligence. Ikenga said operatives of the Rapid Response Squad, Awkuzu, stormed a suspected criminal hideout in Ogidi on March 21 at about 1:46 p.m., leading to the…

No fewer than 150 suspected bandits have reportedly drowned following a boat accident in Sokoto State, sparking fresh concerns over criminal movements across waterways in the North-West. The incident was said to have occurred on Saturday evening in the Sabon Gida area when a boat conveying a large number of armed men capsized while crossing a river. A counter-insurgency expert in the Lake Chad region, Zagazola Makama, disclosed the development in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday. According to him, the victims, believed to be bandits, were travelling in large numbers when the vessel suddenly overturned, throwing all…

The lawmaker representing Ijebu North State Constituency I in the Ogun State House of Assembly, Hon. Rasheed Kashamu, has distributed food items and cash gifts to thousands of residents in Ijebu Igbo as part of activities marking the Eid-el-Fitr celebration. The outreach, held at the Kashamu family compound in Egbe Subaru, Oke Sopen area of Ijebu Igbo, attracted a large crowd of beneficiaries drawn from across the constituency. Many of the recipients, who spoke during the event, described the gesture as timely, noting that it would go a long way in cushioning the effect of the current economic hardship. Addressing…

The lawmaker representing Yewa North/Imeko-Afon Federal Constituency in Ogun State, Gboyega Nasir Isiaka, on Sunday dismissed claims that he was being pressured by political associates to join the 2027 governorship race, insisting that his ambition is self-driven. Isiaka, a three-time governorship candidate and Chairman, House Committee on National Planning and Economic Development, spoke during a media briefing in Abeokuta. The former governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress in 2019 said it would be unfair to suggest that he was being pushed into the race, given his long-standing involvement in the state’s political landscape. “After running elections three times, including…