Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The newly crowned 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, has called on President Bola Tinubu to ensure the creation of Ibadan State before the end of his administration in 2027. The monarch made the appeal during his coronation on Thursday after receiving his staff of office at a grand ceremony held at Mapo Hall, Ibadan. The event was attended by President Tinubu, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, and other dignitaries. Speaking in Yoruba, Oba Ladoja said his ascension to the throne was a platform to champion the aspirations of his people, particularly their longstanding demand for a separate…

At least five worshippers were shot dead in the early hours of Friday when armed bandits stormed a mosque in Yandoto, Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State. The gunmen, who arrived on motorcycles around 5:00 a.m., attacked the congregation during dawn prayers (Fajr), firing indiscriminately at worshippers before abducting several others. Eyewitnesses said the assailants surrounded the mosque and opened fire on those in prostration. “They came out of nowhere, shooting wildly while people were praying,” a resident told PLATFORM TIMES. “The cries for mercy were drowned by gunshots.” Local sources confirmed that five regular worshippers were killed instantly,…

The Federal Government has sealed a breakthrough deal that slashes the cost of a life-saving HIV prevention drug, Lenacapavir, from $28,000 to just $40 per patient, in what health experts have described as a game-changer for millions at risk of infection. The Director-General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Dr. Temitope Ilori, announced the development on Friday while speaking on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. Ilori said the agreement would expand affordable access to Lenacapavir, a twice-yearly injectable drug proven to be nearly 100 per cent effective in…

Operatives of the Intelligence Response Team of the Nigeria Police Force have rescued a 38-year-old Ivorian national, Kacou Alleby, in Ogun State after it was discovered that his reported abduction was staged. Force spokesperson, ACP Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed in a statement on Thursday that the operation followed a distress alert from the INTERPOL National Central Bureau in Abuja on behalf of Ivorian authorities. Alleby was initially reported kidnapped on September 12, 2025, with his family in Abidjan receiving torture videos and voice notes demanding ransom. However, police investigations revealed that Alleby conspired with a 28-year-old female compatriot, Angela Arisa, to…

Ace broadcaster and travel consultant, Adewale Dada, popularly known as The Good, has emerged winner of the Rwandair Business Class Flight Ticket at the 3rd National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA) Western Zonal Symposium held in Ibadan. PLATFORM TIMES reports that the  annual symposium, which brought together top players in the tourism and aviation industries, was themed “Nigerian Tourism Industry: Overcoming Challenges, Achieving Success.” A statement sent to PLATFORM TIMES on Friday read that guest speaker, Naji Halawi, identified poor infrastructure, underfunding, insecurity, and policy inconsistencies as major obstacles to the growth of the Nigerian tourism sector. He, however,…

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has dismissed claims that its operatives “abducted” children from an orphanage in Asaba, Delta State, describing the June 2025 operation as a lawful rescue mission. Speaking at a media briefing in Abuja on Friday, the Director-General of NAPTIP, Binta Adamu Bello, explained that the agency acted on credible intelligence linking the proprietor of Happy Home Children Orphanage, Mr. Christopher Ogugua Nwoye, to the trafficking of children stolen from Gombe and Kano states. According to Bello, NAPTIP operatives rescued eight children during the operation, including one identified by her biological…

… Stop Mandy Kiss Before She Disgraces Yoruba Nation The Eselu of Iselu Kingdom in Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State, Oba Ebenezer Akintunde Akinyemi, has urged Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to take immediate action against social media personality, Ayomiposi Oluwadahunsi, popularly known as Mandy Kiss, over her controversial plan to stage a “sex marathon” in Ikorodu. Mandy Kiss, who boasts nearly 400,000 followers on Instagram and often calls herself the “president of prostitutes,” recently announced plans to engage in sexual intercourse with 100 men within 24 hours as part of what she described as a Guinness…

The Federal Government has cautioned Nigerians to disregard a fake advertisement circulating on social media that uses artificial intelligence to impersonate President Bola Tinubu in promoting a Ponzi scheme. The government described the advert, which has been trending on Facebook, as fraudulent and a dangerous tool of misinformation deliberately designed to deceive unsuspecting citizens. The Director-General of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo, issued the warning in a statement on Thursday. “This is to inform the general public to beware of a fake AI-generated advertisement using the image and video of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in…

Troops of the Nigerian Army have intensified their crackdown on terrorists and criminal gangs across the country, arresting no fewer than 25 suspects and rescuing 16 hostages in a series of coordinated operations. Military sources told PLATFORM TIMES on Thursday that the sustained offensive, carried out in multiple states, also led to the neutralisation of several insurgents and the recovery of arms, ammunition, explosives, and logistics supplies. In the North-East, troops engaged Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Boko Haram fighters in Borno and Adamawa states. The encounters in Kolori and Karumi, Konduga Local Government Area, and Madagali…

The Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Shehu Mohammed, has said arming operatives may be the only way to effectively enforce traffic laws on Nigerian highways. Speaking on Arise News on Thursday, Mohammed lamented the rising risks officers face, particularly when attempting to stop overloaded trailers and tankers that transport both goods and scores of passengers. “How do you stop a trailer or tanker with 100 passengers on top and animals, when you only have four personnel on patrol?” he asked, stressing that without the “power of cohesion,” enforcement becomes almost impossible. Mohammed also addressed persistent allegations…