Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Zainab Abioye The Peoples Democratic Party in Kano State has replaced its earlier governorship candidate, Muhammad Bello Dalha, with Muhammad Sani Abacha, son of former military Head of State, General Sani Abacha, ahead of the 2027 governorship election. Abacha was affirmed as the party’s candidate during an expanded meeting of the Kano State PDP executive committee on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, following Dalha’s withdrawal from the race. Multiple reports, including Vanguard and TheCable, independently reported the development. The development means Abacha will return to the Kano governorship contest on the PDP platform, having also contested the 2023 governorship election as…

…Petition Accuses Senate Appropriation Committee Chairman Of Massive Project Insertions ….Petitioners Cite ₦200bn Vague Allocations, ₦50bn Suspected Duplication Daud Olatunji The 2027 Ogun State governorship race has been thrown into a fresh controversy following a petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission over alleged massive budgetary insertions linked to the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi. The petitioners accused Adeola, who represents Ogun West Senatorial District and chairs the Senate Committee on Appropriation, of allegedly manipulating the federal budgetary process to insert…

Grace Adeleke At least 33 suspected illegal miners have reportedly died while in the custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Niger State, following an alleged outbreak of disease among detainees. The deaths occurred shortly after the suspects were arrested during an anti-illegal-mining operation conducted by the NSCDC in the M.I. Wushishi and Lukoto areas of the state. The Niger State Command of the NSCDC confirmed the deaths on Thursday, saying some of the suspects were found dead in the early hours of September 17. The commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, said the arrests followed “burst operations” carried…

Daud Olatunji Babcock University has renewed its commitment to strengthening its academic, research, entrepreneurial and character-building legacy as the institution marked its 67th Founders’ Day anniversary. The President/Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Afolarin Olutunde Ojewole, made the commitment on Thursday at the institution’s Founders’ Day celebration held at its main campus in Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State. The anniversary, which was marked under the theme, “Founded on Grace, Building for Greatness,” celebrated the institution’s journey from the Adventist College of West Africa, established in 1959 with only seven ministerial students, to a major private university. Ojewole said the university’s growth over the…

Mujeeb Akindoyin The Oyo State Police Command has rescued four more children allegedly stolen from their biological parents and sold to different individuals, bringing to 21 the number of children recovered in an ongoing investigation into a suspected child-stealing, human trafficking and baby factory syndicate. The command disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday by its Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka. The latest recoveries followed complaints from parents who reportedly recognised their missing children after the command earlier announced the rescue of 17 children and the arrest of suspects allegedly linked to the syndicate. According to the…

Extortion Scandal: Police Dismiss Two Inspectors, Two Sergeants In Lagos Officers Face Sanctions Over Alleged Corrupt Practices, Abuse Of Authority Area Commander Ordered To Arrest Personnel, Recover Warrant Cards Daud Olatunji The Nigeria Police Force has dismissed four officers attached to the Ikeja area of Lagos State following disciplinary proceedings over allegations of extortion, corrupt practices, unlawful exercise of authority and discreditable conduct. The affected personnel are two inspectors, Omosebi Emmanuel and Arishekola Oluwatobi, and two sergeants, Olawunmi Michael and Ajibade Adegbenga. The dismissal was contained in a police wireless message dated September 3, 2026, issued by the Commissioner of…

Victoria Ikene Two men have been arrested by the Katsina Community Watch Corps, popularly known as C-Watch, over alleged involvement in supplying ammunition and running errands for a suspected notorious bandit leader, Kachalla Maha, in Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State. The suspects, identified as Abubakar from Jaya and Ubale Change from Matazu, were reportedly apprehended by security operatives amid continuing efforts to disrupt the supply networks sustaining armed banditry in the state. According to accounts contained in a video obtained by SaharaReporters, the suspects allegedly admitted during interrogation to involvement in the movement and transfer of ammunition. Abubakar…

The Nigeria Police Force has arrested and repatriated a Chinese national, Zhang Shijie, who was allegedly wanted by Chinese authorities over the smuggling of about 1,400 tonnes of African Rosewood valued at approximately 15.7 million Chinese Yuan. The suspect was arrested by operatives of the INTERPOL National Central Bureau, Abuja, on September 10, 2026, in the Ogere area of Ogun State, following intelligence gathering, surveillance and coordinated investigations. The police said Zhang was subsequently handed over to the Chinese authorities and repatriated to Guangzhou on September 16. The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, disclosed this in a statement…

Zainab Abioye The Independent National Electoral Commission has explained the absence of its Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, from its Abuja headquarters, saying he is away on an official assignment. The commission also clarified that Amupitan has the authority to delegate his responsibilities to any National Commissioner while he is away. INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Mrs Victoria Eta-Messi, gave the clarification in response to questions raised by the Obidient Movement over the whereabouts of the electoral umpire. “The Chairman is on an official assignment outside Abuja. He can delegate powers to any National Commissioner,” Eta-Messi said. The…

Daud Olatunji The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has commenced investigations into a Kano-based suspect, Usaini Ibrahim, following his arrest over an alleged possession of counterfeit United States currency worth $212,200. The suspect was arrested on September 3, 2026, by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency along Maiduguri Road in Kano, where the suspected fake currency was reportedly discovered. The NDLEA subsequently transferred Ibrahim and the recovered exhibits to the EFCC Kano Zonal Directorate for further investigation and possible prosecution. The development was disclosed by the EFCC in a statement posted on its official X account on Thursday.…