Author: Platform Times Newspaper

No fewer than 75 Nigerians have reportedly lost more than N100 million to an alleged visa fraud scheme after being promised relocation opportunities to Canada. The victims, who were said to have paid between N3 million and N12 million each, were allegedly deceived by suspected visa facilitators who claimed they could secure Canadian visas and employment opportunities abroad. Findings revealed that many of the victims sold personal property, borrowed money, or rented out their apartments to raise the required funds, only to later discover that the promised visas were never forthcoming. One of the victims, identified simply as Mr Promise,…

The President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has mocked opposition political parties ahead of the 2027 general elections, declaring that they will remain confused and disorganised until after the polls. Akpabio also expressed confidence that the ruling All Progressives Congress would retain power in the next general election. The Senate President spoke on Saturday in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, during a reception organised by Governor Umo Eno in honour of the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu. The First Lady was in the state to unveil the Akwa Ibom Senior Citizens Centre named after her and dedicated to…

Violence erupted on Saturday during the local government congress of a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party loyal to Nyesom Wike in Oyo State as suspected hoodlums attacked party members and vandalised property across several venues. The attacks were reported in parts of Ibadan and other local government areas where the faction held its congress, leaving several members injured and vehicles destroyed. At Bodija in Ibadan North Local Government Area, suspected thugs reportedly stormed the venue of the congress and disrupted the exercise, forcing participants to flee for safety. A member of the faction, Julius Adekunle, alleged that the attacks…

Troops of the Nigerian Army have reportedly killed no fewer than 45 suspected bandits during a fierce gun duel in Danmusa Local Government Area of Katsina State. However, three soldiers were also confirmed dead during the operation. Security sources disclosed that the confrontation followed an earlier attack by bandits on Alhazawa village in Musawa Local Government Area, where the assailants rustled cattle belonging to residents. According to a counter-insurgency report by security analyst, Zagazola Makama, residents of the community, assisted by some repentant bandits, resisted the attack, killing four of the gunmen and recovering the stolen cattle. Angered by the…

…Says Insecurity Worsening Across South-West States …Calls For Urgent Security Crackdown Daud Olatunji The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has raised the alarm over what it described as a disturbing escalation in kidnapping activities in the South-West, revealing that some bandits now demand virgins and hard drugs as part of ransom negotiations. The group warned that the development reflects the growing brutality of criminal gangs terrorising communities across the region, urging the Federal Government and security agencies to urgently step up efforts to tackle the worsening security crisis. Afenifere made the disclosure in a statement issued on Saturday by its…

The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Communications, Daniel Bwala, has defended his past criticism of the President, describing it as part of political contestation. Bwala spoke on Saturday while reacting to the backlash that followed his recent interview on Al Jazeera’s Head to Head programme with journalist Mehdi Hasan. The presidential aide said comments he made against Tinubu before joining the administration were political and should not be interpreted outside the context of opposition politics at the time. He stated that his current role requires him to promote and defend the policies and programmes of…

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party and Convener of The Alternative, Otunba Segun Showunmi, has called for stronger investment in professional communication training for government spokespersons following the controversy generated by a recent live broadcast interview between presidential aide Daniel Bwala and international journalist Mehdi Hasan. The interview, which has since circulated widely on social media, has sparked debates among political observers and communication experts over the standards expected of government representatives during high-profile international media engagements. Reacting to the development in a statement made available to journalists, Showunmi said Nigeria would benefit significantly from strengthening the professional capacity…

….Families Demand Open trial, Access To Husbands … Human Rights Activists Back Calls For Transparency Daud Olatunji Wives and family members of Nigerian military officers detained over an alleged coup plot against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu staged a protest in the Federal Capital Territory on Friday, demanding transparency and immediate access to their husbands. The protesters, accompanied by human rights activists including Omoyele Sowore and Barrister Deji Adeyanju, said their husbands had spent more than five months in detention without being formally arraigned before a court. “For more than 160 days, our families have lived in uncertainty and fear. Today,…

The Lagos State Police Command has refunded ₦150,000 to a woman who alleged that operatives of the state’s Tactical Squad abducted her and two friends and demanded ₦800,000 for their release. The victim, Helena Nelson Ikoi, disclosed the development on her Facebook page after visiting the police station with a friend, Jude, to meet the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) handling the case. She said the officers involved were initially aggressive but appeared subdued during the meeting. Ikoi said the DPO assured her that the officer who allegedly slapped her would be identified and punished. “Hi everyone, update on the Police…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has revealed that at least 100 senior lawyers are currently facing prosecution for corruption-related offences, in a development that underscores growing concerns about financial misconduct within Nigeria’s legal profession. EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, disclosed this on Friday while delivering the keynote address at the second annual lecture of the Body of Benchers in Abuja, an event attended by top figures in the legal sector. According to Olukoyede, investigations into members of the bar have uncovered offences ranging from diversion of clients’ funds to aiding money laundering. “Before I came here, I checked our…