Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Zimbabwean and Nigerian nationals account for a combined 41 per cent of foreign academics employed in public universities in South Africa, amid persistent xenophobic tensions in the country, a new report has revealed. The figures showed that more than 7,000 foreign academics were on the payroll of South Africa’s public universities as of 2025, underscoring the heavy reliance of the higher education sector on migrant professionals. According to data obtained by independent platform Truth Panther through the parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training, Zimbabweans make up 27 per cent of the foreign academic workforce, while Nigerians account for…

The Yayi Diaspora Movement (YDM) has commended Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola for what it described as “impactful representation” as he marks three years in the National Assembly, disclosing that no fewer than 53 projects facilitated by the lawmaker are set for commissioning across Ogun State. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the group said the projects, spread across Ogun West, Ogun Central and Ogun East senatorial districts, include roads, ultramodern markets, primary healthcare centres, police stations, classroom blocks and town halls. According to the diaspora group, the development reflects the senator’s commitment to equitable distribution of infrastructure and democratic dividends…

…Govt Says Response May Include Restrictions On South Africans …Repatriation Flights Disrupted By Documentation Delays The Federal Government has said it is weighing possible retaliatory measures against South Africa following renewed xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa, even as evacuation arrangements for affected citizens are being finalised. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, disclosed this on Sunday while briefing State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, amid growing diplomatic tension between Nigeria and South Africa over the safety of Nigerian nationals. Odumegwu-Ojukwu said the option of punitive action against South Africa was not off the table,…

Suspected armed bandits have killed two soldiers of the Nigerian Army in a violent ambush along the Mowe–Ibafo axis of Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State, in the early hours of Monday. The attackers were said to have opened fire on the military personnel in what eyewitnesses described as a sudden and coordinated assault, leaving two soldiers dead on the spot. Although details of the incident remained sketchy as of press time, a viral video circulating on social media showed the lifeless body of a soldier dressed in camouflage being evacuated in a pick-up van, alongside plain-clothed security operatives…

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has raised the alarm over what it described as widespread extortion of candidates by some school officials and examination supervisors in the ongoing May/June 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), warning that offenders will face severe sanctions, including prosecution. In a strong-worded statement issued on Monday by the Acting Head of Public Affairs, Moyosola Adesina, WAEC said it had received disturbing reports of illegal financial demands imposed on candidates under various guises, including “transportation of scripts,” “welfare packages,” and so-called “cooperation fees.” The examination body also accused some schools of exploiting candidates…

The National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, has warned that extremist groups and bandit networks operating in parts of northern Nigeria are increasingly targeting vulnerable young people, exploiting poverty, lack of education, and social disconnection to expand their recruitment base. Ribadu said the demographic realities of the country, particularly in the North, have made unemployed and out-of-school youths easy targets for violent groups that offer them a false sense of identity, belonging, and purpose. He stressed that insecurity in Nigeria has gone beyond conventional armed confrontation, noting that extremist ideologies now thrive on socio-economic deprivation and community fragmentation. The NSA…

The National Assembly is set to accelerate the long-debated constitutional amendment on the creation of state police, with lawmakers expected to consider and approve the proposal before the end of the week, Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, has said. Bamidele disclosed this on Monday in Abuja during a press briefing, noting that the Constitution Review Committee had concluded arrangements to present its final report for legislative consideration. According to him, the proposal, once passed by the National Assembly, will be transmitted to the 36 State Houses of Assembly for ratification, in line with constitutional requirements, before being forwarded to President Bola…

The Oyo State Government has demolished a three-bedroom bungalow in Ibadan where kidnappers allegedly held captive Olaide John-Paul, the sister of former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, alongside her twin sons. The structure, located in the Lako Community along Aiyegun-Anaye Road in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, was pulled down on Monday as part of what authorities described as a decisive action against criminal hideouts in the state. John-Paul and her sons were abducted on June 3 while she was reportedly taking the children to school. Armed men ambushed them and whisked them away to the building, which was later…

Three passengers have been confirmed dead following the derailment of a train on the Warri–Itakpe Train Service on Monday, throwing travellers into panic and prompting an emergency response from authorities. The incident involved the Warri–Itakpe Train Service, operated by the Nigerian Railway Corporation, which said rescue teams had been deployed to the scene immediately after the accident. In a statement confirming the development, NRC Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Kayode Opeifa, said emergency responders and relevant agencies were already attending to affected passengers and working to stabilise the situation. “The Nigerian Railway Corporation confirms that an incident involving the…

…Suspects stage fake abduction to extort families abroad The Ogun State Police Command has uncovered a transnational criminal syndicate specialising in staged kidnappings and ransom fraud, arresting eight foreign nationals linked to the operation. The suspects, drawn from West and North African countries, were apprehended during an intelligence-led raid in Adiyan area of Agbado, following a tip-off over a suspected fake abduction. Those arrested include five Ivorians — Suren Neta, Koffi Breno, Gondo Treso, Kougasi John, and Hemue Blinsi — alongside Zakaria Zawadogo from Burkina Faso, Cheik El-Mehdi from Mauritania, and Kunuji Ezekiel from the Republic of Benin. The…