Author: Platform Times Newspaper

A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja has commenced a fresh trial of former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki, over allegations of misappropriating N33.2 billion in public funds—ten years after his initial arraignment. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday re-arraigned Dasuki alongside Aminu Baba-Kusa, a former general manager of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), as well as Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited. The defendants are facing a 32-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust and dishonest release of public funds. The case, previously handled by Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf, has…

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has rejected a petition seeking the recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, citing procedural irregularities in the submission. In a statement on Tuesday, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, disclosed that the petitioners failed to meet the necessary requirements for a valid recall process. According to Olumekun, the representatives of the petitioners did not provide essential contact details such as a valid address, multiple telephone numbers, and email addresses, as required by Clause 1(f) of INEC’s Regulations and Guidelines. “The commission’s immediate observation is that the representatives…

Dangote Petroleum Refinery has exported six vessels carrying approximately 1.7 million barrels of jet fuel to the United States in March, marking a significant milestone in Nigeria’s oil sector. The refinery, in a statement on Tuesday, cited data from Kpler, a ship-tracking service, revealing that another vessel, Hafnia Andromeda, is expected to arrive at the Everglades terminal in the US on March 29 with about 348,000 barrels of aviation fuel. The shipment follows an earlier export of about 130 million litres of jet fuel to Saudi Arabia, underscoring Dangote Refinery’s growing footprint in the global energy market. According to the…

In a major crackdown on human trafficking, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), in collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS), has dismantled an interstate child trafficking syndicate, arresting its female kingpin, Hasana Jacob, and six accomplices. Jacob, a 33-year-old truck driver for a prominent cement company in Obajana, Kogi State, was apprehended alongside her gang members in Abuja while attempting to sell a three-year-old girl abducted from Damaturu, Yobe State. Investigations revealed that Jacob used her position as a truck driver to transport stolen children across Nigeria, evading security checks. She allegedly ran…

Organised labour in Rivers State has issued a stern warning of potential disruptions to national economic activities unless President Bola Tinubu reverses the emergency rule recently imposed on the state. In a joint statement released on March 24, 2025, leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in Rivers expressed deep concerns over the implications of the emergency declaration. The statement, signed by Alex Agwanwor, Ikechukwu Onyefuru, and Chuku Emecheta, chairpersons of NLC, TUC, and Joint Negotiation Council (JNC) respectively, highlighted severe repercussions on workers’ welfare and economic stability in the state. According to the…

The House of Representatives has advanced a bill seeking to make the Court of Appeal the final authority in governorship election petitions, moving to eliminate Supreme Court reviews in such cases. The proposed legislation, sponsored by Nnamdi Ezechi, who represents the Ndokwa East/Ndokwa West/Ukwuani Federal Constituency of Delta State, aims to amend Section 246 of the 1999 Constitution. Currently, the constitution states that the Court of Appeal’s decisions are final only for National Assembly and State House of Assembly election petitions. Ezechi’s bill, which has now passed its second reading, seeks to extend this finality to governorship election disputes. During…

…Stay Away From Libya,FG Tells Nigerians  The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) has said that over 956 Nigerians have been rescued and evacuated from Libya in the first quarter of 2025. The evacuations were facilitated by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) Nigeria and the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCRMI). According to the Commission’s Chairman/CEO, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the breakdown of returnees includes 683 females, 132 males, 87 children, and 54 infants. The NIDCOM boss in a statement issued in Abuja by the Commission’s Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols Unit, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, said…

One of the victims of the March 21 kidnapping incident in Mpape, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, has refuted claims by the FCT Police Command that security operatives rescued them, insisting that their freedom came only after a ₦2.5 million ransom was paid. The victim, who spoke on condition of anonymity for security reasons, stated that neither the police nor any security agency played a role in their release. “We were not rescued by the police or any security agency; I didn’t see any security personnel at all,” he said. The victim’s testimony directly contradicts a statement by the FCT…

The Lagos State Police Command has detained three of its officers for allegedly extorting N150,000 from a 21-year-old traveller, Ramadan Adenola, during a stop-and-search operation under the Otedola Bridge. Confirming the development, the state Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, stated that the officers had been identified and taken into custody, while the extorted money had been recovered. “The Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Moshood Jimoh, has ordered an immediate investigation and disciplinary action against the erring officers,” Hundeyin said. Narrating his experience, Adenola said he was travelling to Ife after a business trip in Lagos when he and a…

There are strong indications that Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, may challenge the legality of the recently established Sharia panel in Oyo town by dragging its proponents to court. The governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Dr. Sulaimon Olanrewaju, gave the hint on Monday while responding to inquiries from The PUNCH about the panel’s operations. According to Olanrewaju, the state government will take legal action if the establishment of the panel is deemed unconstitutional. “The governor was very clear on this matter from the outset. If it is a constitutional issue, then we must refer to the Constitution. Does the Constitution allow…