Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday played video recordings in which a retired naval officer and a serving police inspector allegedly admitted having prior knowledge of a plot to overthrow the administration of President Bola Tinubu. The recordings, presented by the prosecution, formed part of proceedings in the ongoing trial of six defendants accused of involvement in the alleged coup. In the footage played before the court, a retired Navy Captain, Erasmus Ochegobia Victor, and a police inspector, Ahmed Ibrahim, were heard making statements to investigators regarding their awareness of the alleged plot. Inspector Ibrahim, who was attached…

Troops of the Guards Brigade of the Nigerian Army, in collaboration with operatives of the Office of the National Security Adviser, have intercepted a suspected ammunition courier and recovered 250 rounds of live ammunition along the Abaji–Kwali Road in the Federal Capital Territory. Security sources told PLATFORM TIMES that the operation was carried out on Sunday evening following actionable intelligence on the movement of illegal arms within the area. It was gathered that troops of the 176 Guards Battalion, working with the ONSA team, swiftly mounted a snap checkpoint at about 7:09 p.m., leading to the interception of a vehicle…

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Hon. Tolulope Philips, has reaffirmed his ambition to contest the party’s ticket for the Abeokuta South Federal Constituency ahead of the 2027 general elections. Philips, who spoke with journalists in Abeokuta on Monday, dismissed speculations suggesting he had withdrawn from the race, insisting that he remains fully committed to the contest. The aspirant disclosed that he had already purchased the party’s expression of interest and nomination forms, stressing that he was prepared to participate in the forthcoming primary election. “I have already purchased the APC expression of interest and nomination form for this…

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has reportedly endorsed former Rivers State Commissioner for Works, Alabo Dakorinama George Kelly, as his preferred candidate for the 2027 governorship election in Rivers State under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Sources familiar with the development said the decision followed a closed-door meeting held on Monday in Port Harcourt with key political stakeholders, where strategic alignments ahead of the next general election were reviewed. George, a former commissioner and long-time political ally within Wike’s camp, is expected to formally emerge as the APC governorship hopeful as political…

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Monday expressed strong optimism that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would produce Nigeria’s next president in the 2027 general elections. Makinde made the declaration at the 103rd National Executive Committee meeting of a PDP faction held in Abuja, where party leaders and stakeholders converged amid ongoing internal realignments. Addressing party faithful, the governor said the PDP remained strategically positioned to reclaim power across all tiers of government, urging members to close ranks and sustain unity ahead of the polls. “We should write it down. This gathering will produce House of Assembly members, House of…

IMBIL Telecom Solutions Ltd has entered into a commercial agreement with Airtel Nigeria to accelerate the rollout of Mobile Virtual Network Operators in the country, as the firm confirmed it has already onboarded five operators. The company, which describes itself as Nigeria’s pioneer Mobile Virtual Network Enabler/Aggregator, said the partnership signals a major boost to competition and innovation in the telecommunications sector. In a statement issued on Monday in Lagos, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of IMBIL Telecom, Akeem Ogunkoya, said the agreement provides a strong infrastructure base for emerging operators to enter the market. He noted that the…

The Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party has appointed a 13-member interim National Working Committee in a move aimed at stabilising the party’s leadership following a protracted internal crisis. The decision was announced on Monday after a meeting led by the BoT Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, who said the action was in line with the party’s constitution. Wabara explained that the development became necessary after a Supreme Court judgment upheld the nullification of the party’s Ibadan National Convention, a situation he noted had created a vacuum in the PDP’s leadership structure. According to him, the newly constituted interim…

Chairman of First HoldCo Plc, Femi Otedola, has refuted claims linking him to the financing of the multi-billion-dollar Dangote Petroleum Refinery, insisting he has not invested any funds in the project. Otedola made the clarification in a statement posted on his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle on Monday, describing reports of his involvement as “completely and utterly false.” The denial follows recent speculations that Otedola, alongside Chairman of United Bank for Africa, Tony Elumelu, and Globacom Chairman, Mike Adenuga, were among key financiers of the refinery. However, Otedola categorically dismissed the claims, stating that he neither contributed financially nor was…

There was outrage on Monday following allegations that soldiers attached to the Nigerian Army, 63 Brigade, Asaba, assaulted a student of Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku for refusing to join a cult group. The victim, identified simply as Francis, was said to have been brutalised on May 1 in Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State, after resisting attempts by suspected cultists to forcibly induct him into their group. Images showing the student with severe injuries have since circulated on social media, triggering public condemnation and calls for justice. Narrating his ordeal, the student alleged that trouble started when some youths accosted him and pressured…

The United States has lifted its suspension on visa processing for foreign-trained doctors, paving the way for Nigerian physicians and their counterparts from 38 other countries to resume applications for work permits and residency. The policy reversal follows mounting concerns over a critical shortage of medical personnel across the U.S., estimated at about 65,000 doctors, with rural and underserved communities hardest hit. The restriction, introduced in January under an expanded immigration framework tied to a travel ban affecting 39 countries, had halted visa renewals, green card processing and work authorisations for a broad category of applicants, including medical professionals already…