Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The political landscape in Enugu State is set for a major upheaval as Governor Peter Mbah prepares to lead the state’s entire political structure — including 24 members of the State House of Assembly and 260 councillors — into the All Progressives Congress (APC). The planned defection, described by insiders as the “death knell” of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu, will see the governor formally declare for the ruling party on Tuesday, October 14, 2025. Speaking at the inauguration of the Enugu APC caretaker committee in Abuja on Friday, the party’s state caretaker chairman, Dr. Ben Nwoye, said…

The Federal Government has introduced a new Post-Amnesty Voluntary Return and Documentation Programme (PAVRDP) for foreign nationals who overstayed their visas or breached immigration laws without regularizing their status. The initiative, announced by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) on Friday, follows the expiration of the government’s Expired Visa Amnesty Programme on September 30, 2025. According to a statement signed by the Service’s Public Relations Officer, ACI Akinsola Akinlabi, the new scheme will commence on Monday, October 13, 2025, and is designed to provide a final opportunity for affected foreigners to normalize their stay in Nigeria through proper documentation. “The Post-Amnesty…

The Ghanaian Police have dismantled a human trafficking and cyber fraud syndicate in the Ashaiman area of Tema, rescuing seven Nigerians who were allegedly held captive and forced into online scams. The rescue operation, which took place on Tuesday, October 7, 2025, around 4:00 p.m., was conducted by operatives of the Zenu–Atadeka District Police Patrol Team following intelligence reports on suspicious human activities in the Peace Land community. According to a statement issued by the Tema Regional Police Command on Friday, three suspects — Peter Okoye (36), a computer engineer, Jolly Ezekiel (30), and Jolly Shadrack (33) — were arrested…

A senior police officer, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Cyril Takim, has reportedly died suddenly at his residence in Aku Village Base 3, Mararaba, Nasarawa State. PLATFORM TIMES gathered that the 54-year-old officer, who was attached to the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 7 Headquarters, Abuja, slumped in his bathroom around 2:50 p.m. on Thursday, October 9, 2025. A family source said the officer’s 21-year-old son, Courage Takim Ogar, found him unconscious and immediately rushed him to a nearby medical centre in Mararaba. “He was still breathing faintly when we got to the hospital, but the doctor later confirmed him…

The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has accused the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and its agents of spreading false narratives about alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria, warning that such claims are part of a calculated plot to destabilise the country and tarnish its image globally. In a statement signed by its Deputy National Legal Adviser, Imam Haroun Muhammad Eze, and dated October 10, 2025, the Council condemned what it described as “baseless allegations” circulating on international media platforms that the Nigerian government is aiding a “genocidal campaign” against Christians. The Council expressed disappointment that while several…

Two teenagers have lost their lives after drowning in a stream at Hayin Yawa Gada in the Tudun Wada Local Government Area of Kano State. The tragic incident, which occurred around 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 9, 2025, was confirmed by the Kano State Fire Service. The agency also announced the recovery of another unidentified body from a well in the Jaba Masaka area of the state. Spokesperson for the Fire Service, Saminu Yusif, said the Tudun Wada Fire Station’s Emergency Response Unit received a distress call from the Hisbah Command about a drowning incident. “On arrival, our men found…

At least 15 fighters of the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) were neutralised when Nigerian troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) repelled a fierce attack by terrorists in Ngamdu, Kaga Local Government Area of Borno State. However, four soldiers were killed and five others sustained injuries in the gun duel that lasted several hours, according to the military. The Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force, Operation Hadin Kai, Lt. Col. Sani Uba, confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Friday in Maiduguri. Uba said the attack was launched by the terrorists who deployed Rocket Propelled…

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) may require about N870 billion to conduct the 2027 general elections, a former Chief Technical Adviser to the outgoing INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Prof. Bolade Eyinla, has projected. Eyinla, who made the disclosure in Abuja during the Yiaga Africa 2027 Elections Scenarios and Election Manipulation Risk Index (EMRI) Retreat, said the cost estimate reflects Nigeria’s growing voter population, rising inflation, and the logistical complexities of conducting elections across the country’s vast and diverse terrain. According to him, the projection—equivalent to about $600 million—was informed by past election expenditures and economic realities, making it…

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of using intimidation, harassment, and financial inducement to lure governors and federal lawmakers from the opposition into its fold. The PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, made the allegation in Abuja while reacting to reports that Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah is set to join the APC next week, amid speculations that Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri may also defect. Ologunagba described the ongoing defections as “products of coercion and intimidation,” alleging that the ruling party has weaponised state power to pressure opposition figures into crossing over.…

The Federal High Court sitting in Birnin Kebbi has sentenced the Caretaker Chairman of Sakaba Local Government Area, Abubakar Bawa Makuku, and the council’s Director of Finance and Supply, Ahmed Abdullahi Fakai, to prison for misappropriating ₦54 million through fraudulent contract awards and illegal withdrawals. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) disclosed this in a statement on Friday, signed by its Director of Public Enlightenment and Education, Demola Bakare. According to the Commission, the duo were convicted by Justice E. Gakko after being found guilty on multiple counts bordering on abuse of office, financial misconduct, and…