Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kola Ologbondiyan, has resigned from the opposition party, ending decades of political engagement with the PDP. Ologbondiyan announced his exit in a statement posted on on Saturday, attaching a letter dated December 5, 2025, which he addressed to the Chairman of Okekoko Ward 09, Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State. In the letter titled “Notification of Membership Withdrawal,” the former PDP image-maker said his decision followed a personal review of his role and participation in the party. “It is now imperative to bring your attention to the fact that…

Former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya (retd.), has dismissed as false, malicious and “entirely concocted” an allegation linking him to suspected terrorism financiers, vowing to take legal action against those behind the claim. The allegation, credited to retired Maj.-Gen. Danjuma Ali-Keffi and published by Sahara Reporters, alleged that the former army chief had associations with individuals involved in terror funding. But Yahaya, in a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday by retired Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman, said the publication was not only reckless but driven by vendetta. He said: “At no point in his career — before, during or…

Concerned Nigerians in the Diaspora (UK) has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately order a probe into the academic credentials of the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, warning that failure to act could trigger far-reaching international consequences for Nigeria. In a statement issued and signed by its coordinator, Abanikanda Olumoro, the group said the controversy surrounding the minister’s academic claims had intensified following confirmation by London Metropolitan University that it received a Freedom of Information (FOI) petition seeking verification of Tunji-Ojo’s educational history. According to the petition—filed on November 17, 2025, by Valen Legal Practitioners on behalf of Prince…

Deputy Comptroller of Customs, Olukayode Oladapo Afeni, on Thursday officially took over as Acting Customs Area Controller of the Ogun I Area Command, pledging to strengthen border security and promote legitimate trade across the nation’s busiest land frontier. The handover ceremony, held at the Command Headquarters in Idiroko, followed his appointment by the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi. Addressing senior officers, stakeholders and community representatives, Afeni said he was fully aware of the strategic importance of the Ogun 1 Command—an area notorious for its expansive borderlines and intense smuggling activities. “It is a great honour to assume the…

No fewer than 10,326 cases of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) were recorded across Nigeria between January and September 2025, the Federal Government has revealed. Of this number, 2,444 survivors received care in recovery centres, while 511 benefitted from livelihoods and empowerment support. The disclosure was made at the National Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue on Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TF-GBV) held in Abuja on Friday. The event, organised by ActionAid Nigeria and other development partners, formed part of the activities marking the 2025 16 Days of Activism, themed: “UNiTE! End All Forms of Digital Violence against Women and Girls.” The Minister of Women Affairs and…

In a bold move to tackle insecurity, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State has employed 1,050 hunters, established a Forward Operation Base, and absorbed vigilante operatives into the state civil service. The governor announced the initiative on Thursday during a three-day training programme on development and infrastructure growth, aligned with Kogi’s 32-Year Development Plan, in Lokoja. He was represented by the Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, Mukadam Asiru Asiwaju. Governor Ododo highlighted other achievements in the first two years of his administration, including the revival of the Confluence Rice Mill, which has supported over 7,000 farmers and…

Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, has revealed that his administration spent about N100 billion on security interventions across the state in 2025, stressing that safety remains central to development. The governor made the disclosure during a visit to His Highness the Emir of Uba, Alhaji Ali Ibn Mamza, where he condoled with the monarch over recent attacks in the area that claimed several lives. He also commended security agencies and local communities for the successful rescue of 12 abducted female farmers. Zulum said the visit aimed to assess the security situation in the Askira/Uba communities and explore strategies to…

Katsina State Governor, Dr Dikko Radda, on Friday declared that community-initiated peace deals with bandits in the state are already yielding “very positive results,” leading to a sharp decline in attacks, kidnappings and spending on victims’ welfare. Radda stated this during a tour of Batsari and Danmusa Local Government Areas, where he drove through the Danburum Forest — formerly one of the deadliest bandit enclaves in the North-West. The governor said he deliberately passed through the route to personally assess the reported improvement in security. Danburum Forest, once a major hiding spot for armed groups, had recorded hundreds of deaths…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has refunded a total of N96.5 million to several victims swindled by a forex-based Ponzi scheme operated in Enugu State. The refund was made at the EFCC’s Enugu Zonal Command, following months of investigation into petitions filed against one Oyubu Akpojewve, also known as Justice Nonso Chima, the Managing Director of Leverage Index Limited. In a statement on Friday, EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, said the refund aligns with the commission’s renewed drive to ensure restitution for victims of financial crimes. According to the petition dated September 30, 2024, Akpojewve allegedly marketed fraudulent investment…

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has disqualified former Deputy Governor Iyiola Omisore and six other aspirants from contesting in the party’s upcoming Osun State governorship primary. The APC screening committee announced that the disqualified candidates failed to meet the requirement of presenting evidence of sponsorship by at least five fully registered and financially up-to-date party members from each Local Government Area in the state, as mandated by Articles 9.3(i) and 31.2(ii) of the APC Constitution and Paragraph 6(c) of the party’s guidelines. Other aspirants affected by the disqualification include former Deputy Governor Benedict Olugboyega Alabi, Dotun Babayemi, Akin Ogunbiyi, Senator…