Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Former Head of State, Retired Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, has called on Nigerians to close ranks and work collectively with security agencies and government to confront the country’s worsening insecurity, warning that terrorism and violent crimes can only be defeated through unified action. Abdulsalami made the call in a statement marking his 84th birthday, expressing deep concern over the persistent security challenges confronting the nation and the growing toll of violent attacks across several communities. He said the killing of senior security personnel, including the late Maj.-Gen. Abubakar Rabe (retd.), alongside numerous other victims of insecurity, underscored the urgency of coordinated…

Two abductees have escaped from a kidnappers’ hideout in a forested area of Ifelodun Local Government Area after a violent internal clash among members of the criminal gang created an opportunity for their escape, security and local sources have confirmed. The incident, which occurred on Thursday, reportedly threw the camp into disarray after a dispute among the armed kidnappers escalated into a gun battle. The chaos, said to have been triggered by disagreements over the sharing of ransom proceeds and leadership struggles within the gang, forced members to turn on one another. Taking advantage of the confusion, the two captives…

The Apapa Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has intercepted expired pharmaceutical products valued at over ₦12.7bn and about 1.8 tonnes of cannabis in separate operations in Lagos. The seizures, according to the command, were made through intelligence-led operations carried out in collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and other regulatory bodies. In a statement issued on Friday by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Isah Sulaiman, the Customs said the operations were driven by credible intelligence, enhanced surveillance, and improved risk profiling systems. He explained that one of the major interceptions involved a 40-foot container laden with…

Three months after its last sitting, the Rivers State House of Assembly has come under intense public scrutiny over its prolonged inactivity, with stakeholders warning of looming governance gaps in the oil-rich state. The Assembly, presided over by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, adjourned indefinitely after a plenary session on March 9, 2026, during which commissioner-nominees were screened. Since then, no legislative business has been conducted, leaving several critical ministries — including health, information, environment and justice — without substantive commissioners. The development has triggered widespread criticism from civil society organisations, political actors and youth groups, who described the situation as a…

A fire outbreak on Thursday gutted part of a multi-storey building housing a branch of Polaris Bank on Broad Street, Lagos Island, triggering panic among residents and business operators in the area. Eyewitness videos circulating on social media showed thick plumes of smoke billowing from the building as bystanders gathered at a safe distance, expressing fears over a possible escalation of the blaze in the densely populated commercial hub. Emergency responders, including officials of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, were promptly deployed to the scene and successfully contained the fire, preventing it from spreading to adjoining structures. The…

Lawyers in Enugu State on Tuesday escalated their protest against the prolonged absence of judges in courtrooms by sealing off a High Court in Obollo-Afor, Nsukka Judicial Zone, paralysing judicial activities in the area. The action, led by members of the Nigerian Bar Association from Nsukka and Obollo-Afor branches, was in response to what they described as the continued refusal of judges posted to the Enugu North Senatorial District to conduct physical sittings for over three years. The protesting lawyers, who had earlier embarked on a boycott of court proceedings, accused the state judiciary of abandoning the affected judicial divisions…

… Says Front-Page Coverage Fuels Fear … Urges Shift To Highlight Security Gains Daud Olatunji The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has urged Nigerian media organisations to scale down the prominence given to terrorists and criminal elements in news reports, warning that such coverage inadvertently advances their agenda. Speaking at a security summit organised by the Nigerian Union of Journalists in collaboration with the State Security Service, the minister said excessive publicity fuels fear and gives violent groups the attention they seek. “Please take these terrorists and criminals off your front pages. This is what they crave…

The Abeokuta Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ABEOCCIMA) on Thursday marked its 50th Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Golden Jubilee celebration with a strong call for businesses to embrace innovation, artificial intelligence (AI), and digital transformation as tools for competitive advantage in a rapidly evolving global economy. The historic event, held in  Abeokuta, also featured the inauguration of a new Executive Committee and Council of the Chamber, drawing government officials, private sector leaders, and stakeholders across Nigeria’s business ecosystem. ‘Fifty Years of Resilience, Enterprise and Collective Progress’ — ABEOCCIMA President In his welcome address, the President of ABEOCCIMA,…

The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (Peoples Democratic Party) in the forthcoming Ekiti State election, Wole Oluyede, has raised serious concerns over the conduct of security agencies, alleging partiality and selective enforcement of the law ahead of the poll. Oluyede, who spoke during an interview on Channels Television (Channels Television) programme, Politics Today, on Thursday, expressed apprehension over what he described as increasing evidence of bias by the police in Ekiti State. He alleged that several of his supporters had been arrested under unclear circumstances, while individuals allegedly linked to the ruling All Progressives Congress were not subjected…

A Zamfara State woman, identified simply as Aisha, has recounted a harrowing ordeal in which armed bandits allegedly forced her to bury her own children after they were killed during months of captivity in the forest. Aisha, who survived after spending about six months in kidnappers’ den, said she was abducted alongside her three children while travelling in a commercial vehicle in Zamfara State when armed men ambushed them and opened fire, forcing the vehicle to a halt. According to her account in an interview with DW Hausa, she and other passengers were taken into the forest after the attack.…