Author: Platform Times Newspaper

A High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, has sentenced a dismissed soldier, Corporal Stephen Iweh, to death by hanging for the brutal murder of a Port Harcourt-based businessman, Mr. Christopher Enobong Jimmy, who had offered him a lift. Justice Bassey Nkanang, in his judgment on Friday, held that the prosecution had proved beyond reasonable doubt that Iweh, a former soldier of the 6 Battalion, Ibagwa, Abak, murdered the 42-year-old clearing and forwarding manager on May 23, 2021, along the East-West Road in Ikot Abasi Local Government Area. The court found that Iweh, 39, shot Jimmy dead at Oboro Junction,…

The management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery has defended its ongoing internal reorganisation, saying the exercise was prompted by repeated acts of sabotage that threatened workers’ safety and disrupted operations. In a statement issued on Friday, the company stressed that the move was not arbitrary but a strategic step to secure the multi-billion-dollar facility regarded as a key national asset. “The decision was taken in the best interest of the refinery as a result of intermittent cases of sabotage in various units, with dire consequences on human life and related safety concerns,” the management explained. While assuring stakeholders that operations remain…

Wema Bank has rolled out two new features on its digital payment platform, ALATPay — Static Wallets and Instant Settlement — in a move aimed at simplifying transactions, strengthening transparency, and easing cash flow challenges faced by businesses. The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Wema Bank, Moruf Oseni, said the innovation reflects the lender’s strategy of deploying secure and efficient financial solutions to support business growth across industries. According to him, the upgraded platform will not only reduce the bottlenecks around payment collection and reconciliation but also empower businesses with greater financial control. “ALATPay embodies our vision of simplifying payments…

The Federal High Court in Abakaliki has awarded ₦22 million in damages against the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) for the brutal assault of a legal practitioner and customary court president, Barrister Sampson Imeze Ekigbo. Justice Hillary Oshomah, who delivered judgment on Thursday in suit number FHC/AI/FHR/11/2025, described the conduct of the NCS officers as a gross violation of the applicant’s fundamental human rights, particularly his right to dignity of person as guaranteed under Section 34 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). Ekigbo was assaulted on November 26, 2024, at Harriz Filling Station, Abakaliki, by two correctional officers, Ifeanyi Nwovu and…

The newly crowned Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rasidi Adewolu Ladoja, has cautioned traditional title holders against abusing their positions to dispossess people of their wives and landed property. Oba Ladoja, who was officially installed as the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland on Friday, gave the warning during his inaugural address at Mapo Hall, Ibadan. Addressing Mogajis, Baales, and other chiefs, the former Oyo State governor said their roles as custodians of tradition should not be turned into avenues for oppression. He declared:“All the traditional title holders, you have work to do. You have many roles to play. Do not snatch people’s…

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,…