Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted a 42-year-old Indian lady at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano, with 72 parcels of heroin. A statement by NDLEA’s director of media and advocacy, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday in Abuja said the prohibited substances were factory-sealed in wafer wraps and packaged as chocolates. Mr Babafemi said the class A drug consignment weighing 11 kilogrammes was recovered from her luggage after a thorough search. He said this followed credible intelligence during an inward clearance of Qatar Airways flight QR1431 from Bangkok, Thailand, via Vietnam and Doha at the arrival…

No fewer than 13,171 Nigerians who sought refugee protection in Canada between January 2013 and December 2024 had their applications rejected, according to official data from the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. PLATFORM TIMES reports that in 2024 alone, 811 Nigerian applicants were denied asylum, placing Nigeria among the top five countries with the highest number of rejected refugee claims. The other nations on the list include Mexico (2,954 rejections), India (1,688), Haiti (982), and Colombia (723). The Refugee Protection Division (RPD) of the IRB evaluates asylum seekers based on the United Nations’ definition of a Convention refugee, which…

Ayomide Awe Prince Adewole Adebayo, the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the recent general elections, has reaffirmed the party’s steadfast commitment to its core principles amidst recent political developments. In a press conference held in Abuja, Adebayo categorically ruled out any coalition talks with other political entities, asserting that the SDP remains dedicated to upholding its independence and principles. The statement comes in the wake of the defection of former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai and Otunba Jimi Lawal, a former factional governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, into the SDP.…

Daud Olatunji Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has raised concerns over the indiscriminate drilling of boreholes in residential areas, particularly in Abeokuta, Ogun State, warning that the practice poses significant long-term environmental and water security risks. Obasanjo issued the warning  through a statement by  his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, over the weekend during a visit by the management and staff of the Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority (O-ORDA) in commemoration of World Water Day. He lamented that successive administrations had abandoned the Oyan Dam project, leading to an overreliance on boreholes, which could have devastating consequences. Recounting the history…

The Federal Government will begin repaying a $500m concessional loan obtained from the International Development Association, a financing arm of the World Bank, from 2029 to 2054. The loan, secured under the Nigeria Primary Healthcare Provision Strengthening Programme (HOPE-PHC), aims to enhance the country’s primary healthcare system, focusing on maternal and child health, emergency medical services, and pandemic preparedness. According to details of the financing agreement, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare will manage the funds in collaboration with key agencies, including the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, the National Health Insurance Authority, and the Nigeria Centre for…

The Federal Government, state governments, and local government councils have shared a total of N1.678 trillion as revenue from the Federation Account for February 2025, reflecting a slight decline from the N1.703 trillion allocated in January. The revenue disbursement was confirmed in a communiqué issued after the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting held in Abuja and chaired by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun. The meeting was also attended by the Accountant General of the Federation, Shamseldeen Ogunjimi, and other senior officials. According to a press statement by Bawa Mokwa, Director of Press…

The Borno State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has arrested a couple for severely flogging an 11-year-old schoolgirl who allegedly entered their compound to pluck mangoes. The command’s spokesperson, Nahum Kenneth Daso, confirmed the arrest in a statement on Saturday, noting that the couple was apprehended after a disturbing video of the assault surfaced on social media. According to the statement, the incident occurred on March 19, 2025, when the minor, Hauwa Mohammed Goni, a Primary 5 pupil of Bolori Primary School, Federal Low Cost, Maiduguri, entered the residence of 33-year-old Muhammad Shetima in the Pompomari…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has commenced an investigation into Okorie Sunday, who was apprehended at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, for allegedly smuggling $578,000 into the country without proper declaration. Sunday was arrested by officials of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) upon arrival from Johannesburg, South Africa, on Wednesday. He had initially declared only $279,000 at the currency declaration desk but was later found with an additional $299,000 concealed in separate packages, prompting his detention. Authorities also discovered €100 and a counterfeit $250 note in his possession. Confirming the development on Saturday in Abuja, EFCC spokesperson…

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has condemned the suspension of elected officials in Rivers State following President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency, warning that the move tarnishes Nigeria’s democratic image. Speaking in Abuja on Saturday at the Haske Satumari Foundation Colloquium, Jonathan expressed disappointment over the political crisis in the oil-rich state and the decision to suspend Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for six months. “These actions by key actors in the executive and legislative arms of government paint the country in a negative light,”…

Samuel Anyanwu has resumed office as the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following a Supreme Court ruling that affirmed his position, nullifying an earlier judgment that had sacked him. Speaking at the PDP national secretariat on Friday, Anyanwu expressed gratitude to party leaders and supporters, singling out Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, for standing by him during the legal battle. “I want to thank my leaders across the country and PDP faithful who stood by the truth,” he said. “This victory is not for me alone; it is for all PDP faithful.” He also…