Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Former President Goodluck Jonathan and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), on Monday urged the Federal High Court in Abuja to dismiss a motion seeking the withdrawal of Justice Peter Lifu from hearing a suit challenging Jonathan’s eligibility to contest the 2027 presidential election. The motion for recusal was filed by the plaintiff, lawyer Johnmary Jideobi, who is also asking the court to bar Jonathan from participating in the 2027 presidential race. He alleged bias on the part of the presiding judge and urged him to step aside from the matter. However, both Jonathan and the AGF,…

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the final forfeiture of a Hawker 800XP private jet linked to alleged fraud, corruption and money laundering in the controversial Maiduguri Emergency Power Project (MEPP), following an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The ruling, delivered on Monday by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja, directed that the aircraft—registered as 5N-AMK and bearing serial number 258553—be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government after dismissing claims by an interested company. The aircraft had been traced by investigators to a complex financial trail allegedly involving contract manipulation…

The Department of State Services (DSS) has taken custody of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, shortly after a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja granted him bail, triggering a fresh controversy over alleged breaches of court-ordered custody arrangements and claims of intimidation by security agencies. The development followed proceedings before Justice Joyce AbdulMalik of the Federal High Court, where el-Rufai was granted bail in a case linked to alleged infractions involving the Office of the National Security Adviser. However, confusion later emerged over whether the former governor should remain in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other…

…Declares Mass Awaiting-Trial Detention Rights Violation …Gives FG Six Months To Report Compliance Daud Olatunji The Community Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has ordered the Nigerian government to urgently decongest its correctional facilities, ruling that the country’s prolonged detention of awaiting-trial inmates violates fundamental human rights. The Court, in a judgment delivered on May 15, 2026, held that Nigeria’s criminal justice and correctional system breaches core protections guaranteed under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, particularly the rights to liberty, dignity, fair hearing, and trial within a reasonable time. The case,…

Governor of Abba Kabir Yusuf on Monday broke his silence over his rift with his estranged political mentor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, warning that continued attacks against him could trigger a public response. Yusuf, who spoke in Rano during the official affirmation of Sulaiman Kawu Sumaila as the All Progressives Congress senatorial candidate for Kano South, said his restraint should not be mistaken for weakness. The governor’s remarks mark his first direct and confrontational response since his fallout with Kwankwaso earlier in 2026, signalling a deepening crisis between the former allies. “For us, peace in Kano remains our priority. But if…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has launched an investigation into two suspects arrested for allegedly failing to declare a total of $461,600 at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport. The suspects, identified as Jamilu Shuaibu Waya and Usman Namadi, were apprehended on May 8, 2026, upon arrival from Dubai aboard an Ethiopian Airlines flight. According to findings, the duo initially declared $130,000 and $180,000 respectively at the currency declaration desk of the Nigeria Customs Service, Kano/Jigawa Area Command. However, a subsequent physical search by Customs officers uncovered additional undeclared sums. Waya was found with an extra $120,000, raising his…

The National Human Rights Commission has raised concerns over the continued detention of more than 500 inmates in correctional facilities across Zamfara State without trial, warning that the situation poses a serious threat to justice and human rights. The commission called on judicial authorities to urgently fast-track legal processes to address the growing number of awaiting-trial inmates, many of whom have spent prolonged periods in custody without court hearings. The Zamfara State Coordinator of the commission, Abdullahi Abubakar, made this known during the launch of the 2026 implementation plan for the National Action Plan on Human Rights. Abubakar stressed that…

Emmanuel Oludare & Olarenwaju Adegunwa Some members of the National Youth Service Corps in Oyo State, in collaboration with the Samuel Akinlade Elderly Care Initiative, on Saturday organised a free healthcare outreach for elderly residents in Ibadan. The outreach, held at Calvary Baptist Church, Ashi, Bodija, was part of a Community Development Service project aimed at improving access to basic healthcare for aged persons in the community. The convener, Samuel Akinlade, said the initiative was designed to give back to elderly citizens who had contributed to society, noting that many of them lack access to regular medical care. He explained…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has tendered an official apology to a senior medical practitioner at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH), Professor Eyo Ekpe, and the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) over the controversial conduct of its operatives during a recent enforcement operation at the hospital. The development followed mounting public outrage and threats of industrial action by medical professionals in Akwa Ibom State over the 12 May incident, which allegedly involved the assault of healthcare workers during an EFCC operation at the teaching hospital in Uyo. In a statement issued on Monday, the commission said its…

Academic activities were on Monday paralysed in parts of Ogbomoso, Oyo State, as teachers downed tools and stormed the office of the State Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) in a heated but peaceful protest over the abduction of seven teachers and an unspecified number of pupils in Oriire Local Government Area. The protest, which grounded classroom operations across affected schools, followed the killing of one of the abducted teachers, a development that has thrown the education sector in the state into mourning and renewed fear. Carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Save Our Schools,” “Bring Back Our Teachers,” and “Stop Killing…