Author: Platform Times Newspaper

A Kano Upper Shari’a Court on Monday sentenced a 38-year-old man, Shafi’u Abubakar, to death by hanging and 150 lashes for setting a mosque ablaze, leading to the deaths of 23 worshippers. Abubakar, a resident of Gezawa Local Government Area of Kano State, was convicted on four counts including culpable homicide, attempted murder, causing grievous hurt, and mischief by fire. The tragic incident occurred on May 15, 2024, at a mosque in Gadan Larabar Abasawa village while worshippers were observing early morning prayers. Delivering the judgement, the presiding judge, Malam Halhalatu Khuza’i-Zakariyya, found the defendant guilty based on circumstantial evidence…

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has relocated its caucus meeting to the Bauchi State Government Lodge in Abuja following the sealing of its national secretariat, Wadata Plaza, by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA). The meeting, which was originally slated to hold at 7pm at the PDP headquarters, was shifted after the FCTA, under the supervision of Minister Nyesom Wike, shut down the secretariat over alleged non-payment of ground and tenancy rent. Wadata Plaza, located in the Wuse Zone 5 area of Abuja, has served as the central hub of the opposition party’s administrative and political activities. The abrupt closure…

The Legislative Council of Abeokuta South Local Government, Ogun State, has announced the lifting of the suspension earlier placed on the enforcement of certain traffic offences, including one-way driving, obstruction, overloading, and traffic light violations. This development was disclosed by the Leader of the Legislative Council, Hon. Jamiu Ogundairo, following a plenary session held on Monday. “Today, after plenary, we have lifted the suspension on traffic offences such as one-way, obstruction, overloading, and traffic light violations,” Ogundairo stated. However, the Council maintained that the suspension on fines related to the non-use of helmets and lack of side mirrors remains in…

Balqees Adeniji A Senator representing Ogun Central Senatorial District in Ogun State, Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu has launched a sweeping grassroots initiative to reform the education sector in Ogun Central, enlisting traditional rulers as key stakeholders in the fight against the rising number of out-of-school children. Speaking at a capacity-building workshop and empowerment programme for monarchs held at Ake Palace, Abeokuta, Salisu described education as the “most sustainable form of empowerment,” warning that the region faces a serious future threat if current trends are not reversed. “Our royal fathers are closer to the people than any institution of government,” he…

… Over 21,000 Candidates Miss Resit Exam … JAMB Uncovers AI-Driven Exam Fraud Daud Olatunji The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has revealed a staggering performance gap in the recently rescheduled 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), with 70.7 per cent of candidates scoring below 200. A total of 1.9 million candidates sat the examination nationwide. Of this number, only 565,988 candidates managed to cross the 200-mark threshold, while a mere 117,373 (6.08%) scored above 250. In a statement on Sunday, JAMB’s Public Communication Adviser, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, said just 17,025 candidates (0.88%) scored above 300. The release followed…

The Rector of D.S. Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic, Itori, Dr Goke Rauf, has called on alumni of tertiary institutions to actively collaborate with their alma maters to boost educational development, particularly in the face of dwindling funding for higher education across Africa. Dr Rauf, who is also an alumnus of the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY), made the call while delivering a paper titled “Sow and Reap; Strategic Alumni Collaboration as a Catalyst for Institutional Economic Advancement” during the MAPOLY Alumni Association national convention held on Saturday at the school’s premises in Abeokuta. He stressed the need for strategic partnerships between institutions…

Daud Olatunji  Team Delta surged ahead in commanding fashion on Day 7 of the 2024 National Sports Festival, overtaking early leaders Bayelsa and stamping their authority across multiple disciplines, including taekwondo, swimming, and cycling. The Gateway Games—being hosted in Abeokuta and other parts of Ogun State—entered a dramatic phase, with Day 7 delivering both triumph and controversy. Delta Extends Lead, Edo Top Overall Count Delta State now leads the medal standings with 44 gold, 19 silver, and 40 bronze medals—totaling 103. Their consistency across events saw them leapfrog Bayelsa, who now sit second with 33 gold, 26 silver, and 24…

Pominent political economist and former presidential candidate, Prof. Pat Utomi, has clarified that the shadow government initiative he launched is not a subversive effort to topple President Bola Tinubu’s administration, but a democratic tool to promote accountability and governance reform. Utomi, who is currently facing legal action from the Department of State Services over the move, made the clarification on Sunday during the 4th edition of the Topaz Lecture Series hosted by the University of Lagos Mass Communication Class of 1988 Alumni Association. Speaking on the theme “Shadow Government: A Distraction or Necessity?”, Utomi said the initiative, rather than being…

More than 21,000 candidates failed to show up for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) resit, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has disclosed, even as the examination body battles an alarming wave of high-tech exam malpractice involving AI tools, impersonators and compromised Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres. The resit, which was conducted for candidates affected by technical issues during the main UTME, recorded a significant absentee figure. Out of 336,845 candidates slated for the rescheduled test, 21,082 did not appear, according to a statement released on Sunday by JAMB’s Public Communication Adviser, Dr Fabian Benjamin. While the turnout…

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says it has destroyed more than 100 illegal refining sites in the Niger Delta within the first five months of 2025 as part of ongoing efforts to combat crude oil theft and environmental degradation. This was revealed by the Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Edward Ehimen Ejodame, in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja. According to Ejodame, the air component of Operation Delta Safe executed no fewer than 173 missions and 265 sorties, amassing over 270 flying hours between January and May in support of joint and independent military operations in…