Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The Taraba State University (TSU) community has been thrown into mourning following the mysterious death of a 100-level student, Comfort Jimtop Oliver, and her boyfriend, Emmanuel Kefas, who was later found dead hours after her passing. Comfort, an indigene of Takum Local Government Area and a member of the Kuteb ethnic group, was discovered lifeless on Friday at Kefas’ residence in Jalingo under unclear circumstances. Empty bottles of hard drinks were reportedly found beside her body. Shockingly, within hours of her death, Kefas — a 2024 graduate of Human Kinetics from TSU — was also found dead in Tudiri community,…

Nollywood actress and filmmaker, Debbie Shokoya, has opened up on why she converted from Christianity to Islam following her marriage, stressing that her decision was deeply personal and rooted in her relationship with God. Shokoya, who was born and raised in a Christian family, revealed on Saturday through her Instagram page that her transition to Islam was not influenced by societal pressure but by her conviction and the need for spiritual peace. She wrote: “Christianity by birth, Muslim by marriage over here… God is love! Humanity always. I have never been a discriminator of any religion. My relationship with God…

Popular Nigerian chef, Hilda Baci, has called on Lagos residents to troop to Eko Hotel with food containers to help finish off thousands of kilograms of jollof rice left over from her Guinness World Record attempt for the largest pot of jollof. Baci, who recently concluded the feat at the Victoria Island venue, revealed in an Instagram video on Saturday that despite large-scale packaging and distribution, a significant quantity of food remained. “We’re still packaging food. There is still so much food. Please, you guys, come through and get the food. It’s a lot and we cannot waste it,” she…

Canada has denied at least 1,596 asylum applications from Nigerians between January and August 2025, fresh figures from the country’s Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) have revealed. The latest data show that Nigerians filed 3,548 claims during the period, out of which 2,292 were approved, placing the acceptance rate at about 65 per cent. This marks a higher approval ratio compared to previous years when rejections of Nigerian claims exceeded 13,000 cumulatively. Nigeria remains one of the top sources of asylum seekers in Canada, alongside Mexico, India, Haiti, and Colombia. Analysts attribute the surge to worsening insecurity and economic instability,…

Troops of the Nigerian Army have killed a notorious bandit deputy commander, Babangida Kachala, and five other fighters during an operation in Kogi State. The operation, carried out by the 12 Brigade Lokoja under Operation Accord III in collaboration with Other Hybrid Forces (OHF), took place on September 11 in Ofere Forest and Ayetoro Gbede area of Ijumu Local Government Area. Spokesperson of the brigade, Lt. Hassan Abdullahi, confirmed the breakthrough in a statement on Saturday, describing the raid as a major blow to the bandit network operating in the state. He said: “In a bold operation, troops neutralised Babangida Kachala,…

Hundreds of angry youths on Saturday blocked the Ilorin–Omu-Aran–Kabba highway to protest the worsening spate of kidnappings in Kwara South, leaving travellers stranded for hours. The protesters, drawn from Isanlu-Isin, Oke-Onigbin, and Edidi communities, lit bonfires and carried placards with inscriptions such as “Enough is Enough,” “Stop Kidnapping Our People,” and “We Are Tired of Paying Ransom Without Results.” They accused both the state government and security agencies of failing to protect lives and property despite repeated appeals. Speaking on behalf of the protesters, the Odee of Isanlu-Isin, Michael Ayanda, lamented that insecurity had forced residents to abandon their farms…

The Southern Forum of Former Legislators on Saturday endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term, declaring him the sole presidential candidate of the South for the 2027 general elections. The endorsement was announced in a communique read by Edo State Attorney General and former lawmaker, Samson Osagie, at the end of the forum’s summit held in Abeokuta, Ogun State. The group, which comprises former state, federal, and local government legislators across the 17 southern states, said its decision was based on the need to entrench fairness, equity, and unity in Nigeria’s political structure. “We affirm that it is…

The political atmosphere in Anambra State took a dramatic turn on Saturday after Nonye Soludo, wife of Governor Chukwuma Soludo, threatened to sue former Senator Uche Ekwunife over allegations of infidelity and involvement in a past administration. Ekwunife, who is the deputy governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the forthcoming election, had in a viral video accused the Soludos of being part of the government of late Chinwoke Mbadinuju, which she claimed failed Anambra between 1999 and 2003. Responding in a strongly worded statement, the First Lady described the claims as “malicious and fabricated,” warning that she…

The Ogun State Judiciary on Friday commissioned a newly built High Court Complex at Isheri-Olofin in Ifo Local Government Area, marking the fourth court facility inaugurated in the state within 18 months. The Chief Judge of Ogun State, Hon. Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu, who led the commissioning, described the edifice as a product of synergy between the state judiciary and the host community. She noted that the move reflected the judiciary’s determination to make justice delivery more accessible, efficient, and responsive to the needs of residents. “From the commissioning of courts in Ijoko, Ifo, and Ojodu Abiodun last year to this…

A heavy downpour on Friday wreaked havoc in Nsukka, Enugu State, submerging Enugu Road Primary School and several residential houses, sparking fresh concerns over safety and the government’s inaction. The school, which shares premises with St. John Catholic Church, has for years battled flooding caused by a blocked underground waterway along the Enugu–Nsukka expressway. The latest incident has left parents and residents furious. “This has been our fear in this school,” a worried parent said. “The school is about to resume, yet the rains have not stopped. We live in fear whenever it rains. Some parents have even moved their…