Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Tuesday disagreed over the competence of a subpoenaed witness presented in his ongoing trial over alleged N1.35bn money laundering charges. The disagreement occurred before Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, during the continuation of proceedings in the long-running case in which the EFCC is prosecuting Lamido alongside his two sons, Aminu and Mustapha, as well as Aminu Wada Abubakar and two companies—Bamaina Holdings Ltd and Speeds International Ltd. The anti-graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, had called an investigator, Kayode Oyetunde, to…

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps) has dismissed five volunteer personnel attached to its Kano State Command over allegations of unethical conduct, unprofessionalism, and gross indiscipline. The affected personnel are Yakubu Mubarak Yusuf, Isma’il Muhd, Adamu Auwalu, Abdulrazaq Suleiman, and Ahmad Sarki. Their dismissal was approved by the State Commandant, Commandant Mohammed Hassan Agalama, following what the Corps described as a thorough consideration of their misconduct, which was found to be contrary to the organisation’s ethics, operational standards, and core values. This was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Command…

…Says Access Came Through Valid Internal Credentials …Staff Questioned as Investigation Intensifies …Over 90 Million Voter Records Reportedly Remain Intact Daud Olatunji The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has ruled out any external cyberattack in the controversy surrounding the alleged leak of voter registration data linked to a media aide of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, insisting that access to the disputed information was obtained through valid internal credentials. The Commission, however, confirmed that a full-scale investigation has been launched into how restricted voter data was accessed and allegedly circulated online, sparking fresh concerns over the…

The Independent National Electoral Commission has issued a strong warning that electoral offenders in the forthcoming Ondo South Senatorial District bye-election risk sanctions of up to ₦50m fine, 20 years’ imprisonment, and disqualification from voting or contesting elections. The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Ondo State, Mutiu Olaleke Agboke, gave the warning on Tuesday at the quarterly meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) held at the INEC State Office in Akure. Agboke said the commission would enforce strict provisions of the Electoral Act 2026, stressing that electoral offences—particularly vote-buying, ballot box snatching, violence, and falsification of results—would…

The United Premier Movement has commended the Director-General of the National Sports Commission, Bukola Olopade, for facilitating Federal Government approval for the rehabilitation of the long-abandoned Muda Lawal Stadium in Abeokuta, Ogun State. The group said Olopade played a pivotal role in drawing government attention to the deteriorating state of the historic stadium, leading to plans for its upgrade and modernisation. In a statement signed by its Convener, Chief Olalekan Shoyinka, and made available through its Assistant Secretary, Sheriff Adenekan, UPM described the development as a major milestone in efforts to revive sports infrastructure in Ogun State. The movement noted…

The Nigerian Union of Teachers has warned of a possible nationwide strike if the Oyo State Government enforces a “no work, no pay” policy on teachers protesting the abduction of their colleagues and pupils in Oyo State. The National President of the union, Titus Amba, also urged the Federal Government to intensify efforts to secure the safe rescue of all victims and put in place measures to prevent a recurrence. PLATFORM TIMES reports that more than 40 pupils and teachers, including a toddler, were kidnapped on May 15, 2026, when gunmen attacked three schools in the Oriire Local Government Area,…

By IBRAHIM BARKINDO CHUBADO The killing of four suspected kidnappers during a security operation in Lagos State has sparked conversations about insecurity, ethnicity, and public reactions to crime in Nigeria. According to accounts circulating on social media, the suspects were allegedly involved in kidnapping activities that have worsened the insecurity pattern in the nation’s situation in recent times and were reportedly killed during a confrontation with security operatives. Reports also indicate that a police officer lost his life during the operation. The gang leader was identified as Ifeanyi, popularly known as “Ifeko,” and claimed he had been linked to previous…

The Federal Government has abolished the long-standing practice of placing civil servants on mandatory pre-retirement leave, declaring that such a provision does not exist under the Public Service Rules. The directive, issued by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack, orders all Ministries, Departments and Agencies to immediately discontinue the widely adopted three-month terminal leave for officers approaching retirement. In a circular titled “Correct Interpretation of Public Service Rule 120243 on Pre-Retirement Activities,” the government clarified that the three-month period before retirement is strictly a notice window—not an entitlement to leave. Walson-Jack said the misinterpretation by…

The Central Bank of Nigeria has unveiled an ambitious plan to mop up about N2.83tn currently held outside the formal banking system, as part of broader reforms aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s payment ecosystem ahead of the 2027 general elections. The initiative, announced on Monday in Abuja by the CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, forms a key component of the Nigeria Payments System Vision 2028, a strategic roadmap designed to deepen financial inclusion, reduce cash dependence, and position Nigeria as a leading payments hub in Africa. The move comes amid growing concerns over cash-driven political activities, including vote-buying, as the Independent National…

…Links Oyo Abduction To Long-Running National Security Breakdown Assures Nigerians of “Final Defeat” of Criminal Network The National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has said President Bola Tinubu inherited a long-standing and deeply entrenched kidnapping crisis, insisting that Nigeria’s current security challenges, including school abductions, predate the present administration by more than two decades. Ribadu stated this on Sunday during a federal government delegation’s visit to Oyo State following the abduction of 46 schoolchildren and staff from a school in the state, an incident that has once again heightened national concern over school safety. The NSA said the Oyo…