Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The Sultan of Sokoto and Chairman of the Northern Traditional Rulers Council, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has dismissed claims of genocide against any religious or ethnic group in Nigeria, saying such allegations are baseless and unsupported by facts. Speaking at the opening of the Northern Traditional Rulers Assembly Meeting in Birnin Kebbi, the monarch declared that there has been no record of genocide against Christians, Muslims, or any other group in the country. “There is no way someone, whether a Muslim or a Christian, can be killed without the knowledge of the traditional rulers of the community where such…

The detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, on Tuesday, made a dramatic move in his long-running trial as he formally announced his decision to open his defence — listing several prominent Nigerian political and military figures as witnesses. The development came just hours after activist and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Omoyele Sowore, led protests across parts of Abuja demanding Kanu’s release from detention. In a fresh motion personally filed before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, Kanu said he was ready to begin his defence pursuant…

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has suspended its two-week warning strike after what it described as “useful engagements” with the Federal Government on the long-standing 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement. The union’s National Executive Council (NEC) took the decision after a marathon meeting that lasted through the night and ended at about 4:00 a.m. on Wednesday. Addressing journalists shortly after the meeting, ASUU President, Dr. Chris Piwuna, said the suspension was a gesture of goodwill and in recognition of efforts made by “well-meaning Nigerians” — including students, parents, and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) — to resolve the crisis. “We…

Daud Olatunji,  A globally recognized researcher and Babcock University scholar, Dr. Adetayo Adebowale, has urged the Nigerian government and private sector to invest deliberately in research and technological infrastructure, saying the nation has all it takes to become a global technology powerhouse. Dr. Adebowale, who was recently named among the world’s top 2% of scientists by Stanford University and Elsevier for the second consecutive year, said Nigeria’s youthful population, growing internet penetration, and innovative startups offer a fertile foundation for a tech-driven economy—if properly harnessed through research and innovation. “Any nation aspiring to make a global impact must be ready…

Daud Olatunji A magistrate court sitting in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, has ordered the remand of Bishop Sam Onyeagoziri Ndubueze, the presiding cleric of Champion Cathedral Church, over allegations of sexual misconduct, extortion, and the circulation of pornographic materials. Bishop Ndubueze was arraigned on a four-count charge bordering on unlawful carnal knowledge, threats, fraud, and cybercrime, in violation of the Ebonyi State Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law (2018, amended 2024), the Criminal Code, and the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act of 2015. The accused was said to have engaged in an unlawful sexual relationship with a young woman (name withheld) in…

The United Kingdom’s Charity Commission has frozen more than 100 bank accounts linked to the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM) International, founded by Nigerian cleric Dr. Daniel Olukoya, over alleged financial mismanagement and lack of transparency. In a detailed report released on Monday, the UK regulator said it launched a statutory inquiry after “serious financial concerns” were uncovered in the operations of MFM’s charity arm in the country. According to the Commission, the investigation revealed that trustees of the church’s UK branch failed to maintain effective oversight and control of the church’s sprawling financial operations. “Many of the…

A Federal High Court sitting in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, has nullified the election of all 13 local government chairmen and their councillors, declaring the July 2024 local government polls conducted by the Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission (EBSIEC) unconstitutional. Delivering judgment on Tuesday, Justice H. I. O. Oshomah ruled that the elections failed to comply with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act. He consequently voided and cancelled the exercise, ordering that no further local government election should be conducted in the state except strictly in accordance with the law. The court granted most of the reliefs…

Daud Olatunji Ogun State Governor,  Dapo Abiodun, has announced that his administration will make budgetary provisions to support cancer awareness, early detection, and treatment across the state. Abiodun made the pledge on Tuesday in Abeokuta while receiving a Cancer Awareness and Screening team during the commissioning of a free Breast Screening Centre — the second of its kind in Nigeria. The team included the wife of the Imo State Governor, Mrs. Chioma Uzodimma; the wife of the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Dr. Zainab Bagudu, who also serves as the President-elect of the Union for International Cancer Control; the…

Pandemonium reportedly broke out during a meeting of Labour Party lawmakers in the Abia State House of Assembly after the Majority Leader, Hon. Okoro Uchenna Kalu, allegedly smashed a beer bottle on the head of his colleague, Hon. Akachukwu Ucheonye, during a heated argument over the sharing of a cash gift allegedly sent by Governor Alex Otti. PLATFORM TIMES reports that Sahara Reporters gathered from multiple sources that the violent confrontation occurred at the Aba residence of Hon. Fyne Ahuama, the member representing Osisioma Ngwa South Constituency, where members of the LP caucus had gathered to deliberate on the distribution…

…One guard shot multiple times during attack Terror returned to Kaduna in the early hours of Tuesday as heavily armed bandits invaded a private hospital in Kujama, the headquarters of Chikun Local Government Area, abducting a medical doctor, five patients, and a security guard. The incident, which occurred at Nasara Nursing and Maternity Home, threw the quiet town into confusion as residents scampered for safety while the assailants shot sporadically. Eyewitnesses told  that the gunmen, numbering over a dozen, stormed the facility around 1:00 a.m., ordering everyone to lie face down before whisking away their victims into the nearby forest.…