Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, has raised fresh concerns over the role of local informants and collaborators in sustaining terrorism, banditry and insurgency across the country. Musa said the persistence of insecurity is largely driven by the support criminal groups receive from within communities, describing such assistance as a critical lifeline for their operations. The minister spoke on Friday at the 2026 edition of The Platform Nigeria, held to mark Democracy Day and hosted by Poju Oyemade. Addressing participants on the theme, “Governance, Democracy and National Security,” Musa said terrorists and bandits rely heavily on civilians for food, intelligence, logistics…

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Thursday sentenced five men to 25 years’ imprisonment each for their roles in a cross-border arms trafficking network that allegedly supplied weapons to Boko Haram-linked operatives in Niger State. The convicts — Yusuf Muhammad (alias Bature), Goni Ibrahim Bindi (alias Goni Mutuwa), Sani Tukur (alias Danladi), Mubarak Ibrahim, and Musa Alhaji Adamu (alias Gado Banufe) — were jailed after they pleaded guilty to four-count charges bordering on terrorism, unlawful possession of firearms, and providing material support to a terrorist organisation. Delivering judgment, Justice Binta Nyako held that their guilty pleas, alongside tendered…

Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Caleb Mutfwang has declared that his administration will not enter into any form of negotiation with terrorists or criminal groups, insisting that sustained military and intelligence-led operations remain the only pathway to lasting peace in the state. Mutfwang made the declaration on Friday in Jos during a Democracy Day Town Hall Meeting, where he reviewed his administration’s security strategy and broader development agenda for Plateau State. “Negotiating with criminals is not an option. We will continue to push them out of our communities,” the governor said, reinforcing his administration’s hardline stance against armed groups responsible for…

Nigeria’s theatre and film industry has been thrown into mourning following the death of veteran actor, dramatist and scholar, Kola Oyewo, who passed away at the age of 80 after a battle with enlarged prostate. Oyewo’s death was announced on Friday via an Instagram post by fellow actor Kunle Afod, who described him as a “true legend” whose contributions to stage and screen would endure for generations. “Tonight, we lost a true legend. Kola Oyewo has taken his final bow,” Afod wrote. “His remarkable talent, timeless performances, and immense contributions to the Nigerian theatre and film industry will never be…

Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has warned that any legislature that lacks the courage to reject or amend executive proposals cannot be regarded as truly independent, insisting that robust oversight remains the backbone of democratic governance. Saraki made the assertion on Friday during the June 12, 2026 edition of The Platform, where he joined other speakers to reflect on Nigeria’s democratic journey and the state of its institutions. The former Kwara State governor said the strength of any democracy is largely determined by the ability of lawmakers to act independently of the executive arm of government, stressing that parliamentary approval…

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has berated President Bola Tinubu over his 2026 Democracy Day address, accusing him of failing to confront the realities of worsening economic hardship and instead offering what it described as recycled promises after three years in office. The opposition party, in a strongly worded statement on Friday, said the President’s speech reflected “a campaign-style narrative” rather than a sober assessment of governance, insisting that Nigerians were again being told to endure hardship in anticipation of future prosperity. According to the ADC, the address was “long on promises and short on accountability,” arguing that it failed…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Friday conferred national honours on 50 pro-democracy figures, including veteran journalist and activist Niran Malaolu, human rights advocate Joe Okei-Odumakin, and other key actors of Nigeria’s democratic struggle, in commemoration of the 2026 Democracy Day. The honours, announced during the June 12 national ceremony in Abuja, recognised individuals drawn from journalism, civil society, academia and the military who played critical roles in resisting military rule and advancing the return of democratic governance in Nigeria. Among the most prominent civilian awardees are Niran Malaolu, Tunde Fagbenle, Oladele Alake, Olatunji Bello, Sam Omatseye, Segun Babatope, Bola Bolawole,…

Former Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola, on Friday said he did not receive security votes at any time during his eight-year tenure as the state’s chief executive. Fashola made the clarification while speaking at a Democracy Day event organised by The Platform, amid sustained public scrutiny over the use and management of security votes by state governments. Security votes are discretionary funds allocated to governors to address security-related issues, but their opaque nature has continued to generate debate among Nigerians, with concerns over accountability and transparency. Addressing the controversy, the former Minister of Works, Power and Housing said the…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested an aviation security officer and two accomplices over an alleged attempt to smuggle gold bars worth about ₦4.4bn out of the country through the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport. The anti-graft agency disclosed that the suspect, identified as Inspector Ali Baffa, an Aviation Security (AVSEC) personnel, was apprehended during a routine surveillance operation at the airport. According to a statement issued by the commission, Baffa was intercepted on Thursday while allegedly concealing 22.2 kilograms of unprocessed gold bars in his trousers, with the intention of handing them over to outbound international passengers.…

The Borno State Government has reintegrated no fewer than 3,740 repentant members of Boko Haram into their communities, in what officials described as a major milestone in the state’s non-kinetic approach to tackling insurgency. The reintegration, which took place on Friday in Maiduguri, involved 720 men, 992 spouses and 2,050 children who had surrendered to security forces and undergone deradicalisation, rehabilitation and vocational training. Speaking at the ceremony, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Brig.-Gen. Abdullahi Ishaq (retd.), said the exercise formed part of Batch 9 under the state’s reintegration programme targeting low-risk and minor participants in the…