Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has lashed out at former United States President, Donald Trump, describing his threat of military invasion in Nigeria over alleged “Christian genocide” as reckless, ignorant and “the language of a madman.” Soyinka spoke on Friday in Makurdi after a meeting with Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia. He was reacting to Trump’s widely circulated statement vowing to stop US aid to Nigeria and launch an armed offensive “guns-a-blazing” if killings of Christians continued. Trump had said: “If the Nigerian Government continues to allow the killing of Christians, the U.S.A. will immediately stop all aid… and may…

President Bola Tinubu has warned that the growing attempts to undermine democratic institutions in Nigeria and across West Africa threaten the stability of all citizens, including those who “stand aside and do nothing.” Speaking in Abuja on Friday at the 68th birthday celebration of former President Goodluck Jonathan—and the 10th anniversary of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation—Tinubu, represented by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, said recent political crises in the region show the disastrous consequences of sabotaging state institutions for personal gain. “If you look no further than around us, you will see what it means to sabotage the principles of democracy,” he…

United States President, Donald Trump, has again taken a swipe at Nigeria, describing the country as “a disgrace” over what he called the ongoing killing in parts of the country. Speaking on a conservative radio programme on Friday, a conversation later highlighted by Fox News  Trump accused the Nigerian government of failing to protect Christian communities from extremist attacks, insisting that “thousands” have been killed. The US President, who previously designated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern over alleged religious persecution, said he was considering halting all forms of American aid to Nigeria, warning that Washington “could take further…

John Cardinal Onaiyekan, Archbishop Emeritus of the Abuja Catholic Archdiocese, has accused the Federal Government of knowing those responsible for the recurring killings and abductions across the country but refusing to act decisively. The Catholic cleric, who spoke on Saturday during an interview on Arise Television, lamented what he described as government’s “habitual denial” of mass atrocities despite overwhelming evidence of worsening insecurity. Onaiyekan said no amount of official rebuttals can erase the daily experiences of Nigerians who continue to live in fear and lose loved ones to terrorists, bandits and other armed groups. “The Federal Government must shift away…

The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, has raised fresh alarm over what he described as the growing infiltration of terrorists into several communities across the South-West. Adams, who spoke during an interview with Central TV at his Lagos residence, said intelligence at his disposal points to “a clear and immediate danger” for the region. According to him, recent violent developments in neighbouring Kogi and Kwara states show that armed groups are deliberately testing their capabilities in areas surrounding the South-West before launching coordinated attacks. “We are at a point where the security situation in this country has become…

The Kwara State Police Command has arrested a suspected gun technician from Makurdi alleged to be repairing and supplying weapons to bandits terrorising parts of the state. The command also confirmed the arrest of several alleged collaborators who have been supplying food, fuel, drugs and other essentials to bandit camps hidden in remote forests. Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, disclosed this on Friday after the State Security Council meeting held at the Government House, Ilorin. Ojo said intelligence gathered after the recent bandit attack in Eruku led to the breakthrough, revealing a supply network that has aided criminal elements operating…

The Obafemi Awolowo University Muslim Graduates Association (UNIFEMGA), Ogun State chapter, has announced plans to hold its 5th Annual National Agriculture Programme, with a strong focus on boosting food security, improving nutrition, and creating income-generating opportunities for Nigerians. Scheduled for November 29, 2025, the event will take place at the Crescent Muslim Professionals Hall, Abeokuta, with the theme: “Roles of Individuals in Improving Food Quality, Nutritional Value and Potential Income Generation.” This year’s central topic is “Home Gardening: A Pathway to Food Security and Economic Empowerment.” PLATFORM TIMES reports that the gathering is expected to attract leading academics, agricultural experts,…

Al-Usrah Incorporated, a prominent Islamic organisation based in Port Harcourt, has condemned the recurring killings and mass abductions across the country, describing them as an assault on humanity and a threat to Nigeria’s stability. In a strongly worded statement jointly signed by its Chief Imam, Prof. Abdulrasaq Kilani, and Secretary-General, Salaudeen Ibrahim, the group expressed outrage over the latest attacks that claimed lives and left several students kidnapped in Kebbi, Kwara and Niger States. The organisation referenced the recent invasion of Government Girls Comprehensive School, Maga, Kebbi State, the violent attack on CAC Church in Eruku, Kwara State, and the…

Daud Olatunji The management of Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Ijagun, Ogun State, has dismissed as false a viral social media report claiming that the institution had been shut down following an alleged invasion of Ijebu-Ode by bandits. In a strongly worded statement on Friday, the Registrar and Secretary to Council, Dapo Oke, described the circulating report as “malicious, misleading, and targeted at causing unnecessary panic within the university community and across the state.” The false publication had alleged that the university instructed students to vacate their hostels due to a supposed security breach in Ijebu-Ode. But Oke clarified…

…Mint Notes Now Thrive In  Illegal Second Market Fuelled By Scarcity …Regulators Look Away As Bouquet Vendors Openly Trade Cash For Profit Fawaz Adebisi “We fold the naira like flowers, wrap it and design it to look beautiful and then sell the designed money to our customers,” Obiremi Ayanfe, a caterer and event planner in Abeokuta said, her fingers moving with the casual confidence of someone doing normal business, not committing a crime. Meanwhile, the Central Bank of Nigeria explicitly categorized money bouquets as a form of Naira Abuse under the Section 21 of the Central Bank Act…