Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Troops of the Nigerian military have rescued Amina Rabe, wife of the late Major General Abubakar Rabe, from captivity following sustained offensives against bandits in Katsina State. The rescue, which took place on Monday, followed coordinated assaults on criminal enclaves in the Matazu forest and adjoining communities, where the victim was believed to have been held since her abduction. Security sources familiar with the operation told newsmen  that the troops launched a series of joint attacks on the bandits’ hideouts from Sunday night into the early hours of Monday, leading to the destruction of several camps. The operation involved a…

Daud Olatunji The Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party on Monday unveiled Dr Yemi Sowunmi-Kolapo as its deputy governorship candidate, as the opposition party intensifies preparations for the forthcoming election. The unveiling, held in Abeokuta, drew party leaders, stakeholders, youth groups and women organisations from across the state, underscoring growing momentum within the party ahead of the polls. Speaking at the event, Sowunmi-Kolapo described her emergence as a call to service, pledging to deploy her experience and expertise toward delivering inclusive governance and grassroots-driven development. She said, “Our mission is to restore hope to the people of Ogun…

The Federal Government has unveiled a new investment-driven strategy aimed at resolving the persistent electricity crisis in Nigeria’s health sector, with a shift towards private sector participation in powering hospitals nationwide. Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziak Adekunle Salako, disclosed this on Monday at the National Healthcare Electrification Investors Matchmaking Forum held in Lagos under the Nigeria Power for Health Initiative. Salako said the initiative represents a transition from policy discussions to investment mobilisation, as government seeks to build a sustainable market for healthcare electrification across the country. He noted that unreliable electricity supply, frequent grid collapses,…

The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has shared a total sum of N2.257 trillion among the three tiers of government for April 2026, amid a significant rise in gross federation revenue driven largely by improvements in statutory and Value Added Tax (VAT) collections. According to a statement issued on Monday by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, Bawa Mokwa, the allocation was approved at the May 2026 FAAC meeting held in Abuja. The revenue, drawn from the Federation Account Allocation Committee, was shared between the Federal Government of Nigeria, the 36…

A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced a Maiduguri-based Point of Sale operator, Umar Bashir, to 20 years’ imprisonment without the option of fine for financing terrorism linked to the Boko Haram insurgency. The trial judge, Binta Nyako, handed down the verdict on Monday after the defendant pleaded guilty to the charge preferred against him by the Federal Government. Bashir, who described himself as a perfume dealer and POS operator, admitted to facilitating a N5m transaction for a suspected member of the террорист group, identified as Ibrahim Modu, in 2025. According to court proceedings, the convict received the funds…

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Monday ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to deregister several political parties, including the African Democratic Congress and the Accord Party, over alleged violations of constitutional provisions. The presiding judge, Justice Peter Odo Lifu, gave the directive while delivering judgment in a suit filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators. The court held that the affected parties, which also include the Action Alliance, Allied Peoples Party and Zenith Labour Party, breached constitutional requirements necessary for their continued existence as political platforms. The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026, listed Independent…

A former Deputy Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Remmy Hazzan, has expressed confidence that the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress in Ogun State, led by Olamilekan Solomon Adeola and his running mate, Kudirat Adegunwa Balogun, will accelerate development and deliver good governance across the state. Hazzan, who represented the same local government area as Balogun during his time in the state assembly, described her nomination as a “well-deserved recognition” of her competence, integrity, and longstanding service to the people. PLATFORM TIMES reports that the new deputy governorship candidate for APC was unveiled by the party…

… Africa Accounts For 94% of $3.18bn Total …Rising Hardship Fuels Surge In Telecom-Based Lending Daud Olatunji Mobile phone users in Nigeria and other emerging markets borrowed airtime worth $3.18bn (about N4.61tn) on credit in 2025, underscoring growing reliance on short-term digital lending amid worsening economic conditions. This was disclosed in the 2025 consolidated financial statements of fintech firm, Optasia, which showed that airtime advances rose by 12.3 per cent from $2.83bn recorded in 2024. The report indicated that Africa remained the dominant market, accounting for $2.99bn or 94.2 per cent of total airtime credit disbursed during the period, compared…

President Bola Tinubu has assured Nigerian inmates held in Ethiopian correctional facilities that his administration has not abandoned them, following the signing of a prisoner transfer agreement between both countries. The assurance was delivered on his behalf by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, during a visit to Nigerian inmates at the Aba Samuel Prison in Ethiopia on Thursday, June 11. Odumegwu-Ojukwu also announced the activation of a Transfer of Sentenced Persons Agreement recently concluded between Nigeria and Ethiopia, describing it as part of the Tinubu administration’s citizen-centred diplomacy under the 4-D foreign policy framework. She said the initiative…

…Affected Staff Found Guilty Of Abuse Of Office, Intimidation … Disciplinary Action Targets Faculty Of Law, Science Departments Daud Olatunji The Governing Council of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Anambra State, has dismissed five staff members, including two professors, over allegations of sexual abuse, harassment, intimidation, extortion and other forms of unethical conduct. The decision was taken at the university’s 122nd Governing Council meeting held on June 12, 2026, according to a statement issued on Sunday in Awka by the institution’s Public Relations Officer, Harrison Madubueze. Those affected include Prof. C.C. Nwabachili, immediate past Dean of the Faculty of Law;…