Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Former Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola, on Friday said he did not receive security votes at any time during his eight-year tenure as the state’s chief executive. Fashola made the clarification while speaking at a Democracy Day event organised by The Platform, amid sustained public scrutiny over the use and management of security votes by state governments. Security votes are discretionary funds allocated to governors to address security-related issues, but their opaque nature has continued to generate debate among Nigerians, with concerns over accountability and transparency. Addressing the controversy, the former Minister of Works, Power and Housing said the…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested an aviation security officer and two accomplices over an alleged attempt to smuggle gold bars worth about ₦4.4bn out of the country through the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport. The anti-graft agency disclosed that the suspect, identified as Inspector Ali Baffa, an Aviation Security (AVSEC) personnel, was apprehended during a routine surveillance operation at the airport. According to a statement issued by the commission, Baffa was intercepted on Thursday while allegedly concealing 22.2 kilograms of unprocessed gold bars in his trousers, with the intention of handing them over to outbound international passengers.…

The Borno State Government has reintegrated no fewer than 3,740 repentant members of Boko Haram into their communities, in what officials described as a major milestone in the state’s non-kinetic approach to tackling insurgency. The reintegration, which took place on Friday in Maiduguri, involved 720 men, 992 spouses and 2,050 children who had surrendered to security forces and undergone deradicalisation, rehabilitation and vocational training. Speaking at the ceremony, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Brig.-Gen. Abdullahi Ishaq (retd.), said the exercise formed part of Batch 9 under the state’s reintegration programme targeting low-risk and minor participants in the…

The Independent National Electoral Commission on Friday commenced the training of presiding officers and assistant presiding officers across Ondo South Senatorial District, as preparations intensify for the June 20, 2026 bye-election. PLATFORM TIMES gathered that the exercise, which began on June 12, is being held simultaneously at designated centres across the local government areas in the district. The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Ondo State, Mutiu Agboke, monitored the exercise alongside the Administrative Secretary, Adenike Tadese, visiting several training centres to assess the level of compliance and readiness. Speaking during the inspection, Agboke urged the ad hoc staff to uphold professionalism,…

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Toyin Amuzu, has lamented what he described as the alarming devaluation of human lives in Nigeria, blaming the trend on worsening insecurity and weak governance. Amuzu, who is the party’s House of Representatives candidate for Abeokuta South Federal Constituency, made the remarks on Thursday in a statement to commemorate the 2026 Democracy Day. The politician said the spate of killings, kidnappings and violent attacks across the country had created an atmosphere of fear, warning that no meaningful development could thrive under such conditions. He said, “It is sad that human lives no…

… Says 1,255 Cases Linked To Relatives, 630 Tied To Religious Leaders …Warns  Of “Betrayal Of Trust” As Violence Rises Nationwide Daud Olatunji The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has raised alarm over a sharp rise in gender-based violence (GBV) and intimate partner violence (IPV) in Nigeria, disclosing that 2,755 cases were recorded nationwide between January and April 2026. The Commission said the figure, averaging more than 20 reported incidents daily, signals a deepening protection crisis for women, girls and other vulnerable groups, with a significant number of perpetrators found within homes and religious institutions. The disclosure was made on…

…Says Discrimination, Violence Against Nigerians Persisted For Years …Reveals Emotional Escape During FG Evacuation Flight Daud Olatunji A Nigerian returnee, Emilia Godwin, has recounted harrowing experiences of alleged xenophobic violence, discrimination and intimidation in South Africa, describing how Nigerians were “treated like slaves” and repeatedly subjected to physical attacks before she was eventually evacuated under a Federal Government-backed operation. Godwin was among the first batch of Nigerians airlifted back home aboard an Air Peace evacuation flight coordinated by the Federal Government of Nigeria following renewed reports of anti-foreigner hostility in parts of South Africa. Speaking shortly after her arrival in…

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ibogun Ward, Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State, has suspended a prominent party chieftain, Chief Joju Fadairo, alongside the Ward Chairman, Alhaji Akeem Oluwanisola, and the Ward Youth Leader, Mr. Abraham Samuel Ochem, over alleged anti-party activities and alleged breaches of the party’s constitution. The suspension was ratified at a General Meeting of APC members in Ibogun Ward held on Thursday, June 11, 2026, at the party secretariat in Akiode, where stakeholders deliberated on internal disputes and disciplinary concerns within the ward structure. According to resolutions reached at the meeting, members unanimously endorsed…

The Ogun State Chapter of the Freelance and Independent Broadcasters Association of Nigeria (FIBAN) has called on Nigerians to deepen their commitment to democratic values, urging citizens to reject vote-buying and political inducement ahead of the 2027 general elections. In a Democracy Day message issued on Thursday and  signed by  its Chairman, Chief Olalekan  Shoyinka (Ayinla Egba),the association said June 12 remains a defining symbol of the nation’s struggle for justice, popular mandate, and accountable governance, noting that the sacrifices of democracy heroes should continue to inspire national renewal. Describing the day as more than a public holiday, Ogun FIBAN said…

…Says Conclusions On Late Head Of State Based On Speculation, Not Medical Facts Daud Olatunji A former Assistant Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Dennis Amachree, has dismissed long-standing claims that former Head of State, Sani Abacha, was poisoned, insisting that available findings point to a heart attack as the cause of his death. Abacha died on June 8, 1998, while in office, a development that has continued to generate controversy and conspiracy theories nearly three decades after. But Amachree, who spoke in an interview on TVC News and also referenced his account in a newly published book,…