Author: Platform Times Newspaper

A Special Court Martial of the Nigerian Army sitting in Maiduguri, Borno State, has sentenced three soldiers to life imprisonment and another to 15 years in jail for illegally diverting arms and ammunition to criminals and militias. The trial, which followed months of investigation, was convened by the Acting General Officer Commanding 7 Division and Commander, Sector 1 Operation HADIN KAI, Brigadier General Ugochukwu Unachukwu. The judgment was delivered on September 18, 2025, at the Headquarters Theatre Command Officers’ Mess in Maiduguri. Those convicted are Sergeant Raphael Ameh, Sergeant Ejiga Musa, and Lance Corporal Patrick Ocheje, who all bagged life…

A former federal lawmaker, Dr. Usman Bugaje, has dismissed former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s denial of seeking a third term in office, insisting that the former leader deployed both intimidation and financial inducements in his bid to extend his stay in power. Obasanjo, while speaking at a democracy dialogue hosted by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation in Ghana last week, denied ever nursing a third-term ambition. He said, “I’m not a fool. If I wanted a third term, I know how to go about it. And there is no Nigerian dead or alive that would say I called him and told him…

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, on Monday declared that the Green Chamber is solidly behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s borrowing strategy, describing it as a “necessary fiscal tool” for economic growth and poverty reduction. Speaking at the 8th Annual African Network of Parliamentary Budget Offices (AN-PBO) Conference in Abuja, Abbas dismissed reports suggesting that the House had opposed the President’s borrowing plan, describing such claims as “mischievous and misleading.” “Recently, a speech delivered by the House Leader at the West African Parliamentary Conference was erroneously reported out of context, creating the false impression that the House…

No fewer than 68 inmates of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Kano State Command, have successfully passed the 2025 National Examination Council (NECO) examinations. The spokesperson of the command, Musbahu Lawan, disclosed this in a statement on Monday, noting that the feat was achieved under the Centre for Inmates’ Continuity Education, fully sponsored by the Kano State Government. Lawan explained that the initiative was in line with the Correctional Service Act, 2019, which prioritises rehabilitation and reformation of inmates through academic and vocational training. “This success also reflects the directive of the Controller General of Corrections, CGC Sylvester Indidi-Nwakuche, urging…

An All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Mr. Ejeh Udeh, was on Monday assassinated in Ugboji community, Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State. The spokesperson of the Benue State Police Command, DSP Udeme Edet, who confirmed the incident in Makurdi, said Udeh was attacked at close range by armed men who laid an ambush for him. “The assailants shot him at close range and he died on the spot. We have arrested a suspect in connection with the incident, and investigation is ongoing,” Edet told journalists. Witnesses said the gunmen, who rode on motorcycles, had waited in the rain before…

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, on Monday night met with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, days after resuming official duties following the lifting of emergency rule in the state. Speaking with State House correspondents after the meeting, Fubara described the interaction with the President as a “father-son discussion,” noting that Tinubu offered him advice on steering the affairs of the oil-rich state without crisis. “You are aware that suspension was lifted at midnight on the 17th, and I came in on the 19th. Ideally, it’s proper for me to see Mr President and to tell him that…

…Over 764,000 Nigerians Register Ahead of 2027 Elections … South-East Trails Behind Despite Mobilization Efforts ….Massive Awareness Campaign Drove Osun’s CVR Success — REC Daud Olatunji The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released fresh statistics on ongoing voter registration across the country, showing that over 764,000 Nigerians have so far completed the process. The data reveals significant disparities across states, with Osun, Borno, Kano, and Sokoto emerging as leading states in terms of new registrants. According to the data released by the INEC on Monday and obtained by PLATFORM TIMES, a total of 399,162 applicants completed their registration online,…

Nigeria’s economy recorded a year-on-year growth of 4.23 per cent in the second quarter of 2025, marking its strongest expansion in recent years, according to the latest Gross Domestic Product (GDP) report released on Monday by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The growth figure reflects a notable improvement when compared with 3.48 per cent recorded in Q2 2024 and the 3.13 per cent posted in Q1 2025. The NBS attributed the positive trajectory to the recent rebasing of GDP using 2019 as the base year, improved crude oil output, and a resilient non-oil sector. “Following the rebasing of the…

The Gombe State Government has vowed to prosecute parents and guardians who fail to enroll their children in school, warning that defaulters risk jail terms under existing education laws. Chairman of the Gombe State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Babaji Babadidi, issued the warning on Monday during the inauguration of the 2025/2026 school enrollment campaign at Amada, Akko Local Government Area. Babadidi explained that the measure was backed by Section 19(2) of the SUBEB Amendment Law 2021, which prescribes fines or imprisonment for parents who deny children access to education. “Every parent should ensure that their child or ward attends…

The Nigerian community in India has been thrown into mourning following the death of a 32-year-old man, Lucky Ikechkwuijeh, who was allegedly beaten to death by his compatriots during a violent clash in Nalasopara, Maharashtra. The incident occurred around 10:45 p.m. on Saturday, September 20, outside a grocery store near Pragatinagar, Nalasopara East. Witnesses said the fight started as a heated argument before it degenerated into a brutal assault. According to the Tulinj Police, Ikechkwuijeh was struck with a glass bottle and repeatedly punched and kicked until he collapsed. He reportedly died on the spot from the injuries sustained. Confirming…