Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The Supreme Court of Nigeria on Monday adjourned hearing in the protracted Kano Emirate dispute to April 17, 2027, further extending the legal battle over the ancient throne. A five-member panel led by Justice Adamu Jauro fixed the new date after proceedings were stalled by a fresh motion filed by counsel to one of the defendants. The case, which centres on the leadership of the Kano Emirate, was earlier scheduled for hearing on Monday but could not proceed due to the application filed on April 14 and served on the appellant’s counsel a day later. Under court rules, the appellant…

Retired personnel of the Nigeria Police Force on Monday staged a protest at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, blocking one of its gates as they demanded their removal from the Contributory Pension Scheme. The retirees, alongside their families and operating under the aegis of the Police Retired Officers Forum of Nigeria, described the pension scheme as “fraudulent, illegal, inhumane and obnoxious.” They called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently assent to the Police Exit Bill, which seeks to exclude police personnel from the scheme. The protesters said the bill was passed by the National Assembly on December 4, 2025, and…

Boko Haram insurgents have issued a fresh 72-hour ultimatum to the Nigerian government and mediators, threatening to relocate 416 abducted women and children in Borno State if their demands are not met. The террорист group, in a video obtained on Monday, warned that any attempt to rescue the captives by force would be fiercely resisted, declaring its fighters “battle-ready” for confrontation. In the footage, the insurgents—dressed in military camouflage—taunted the government, insisting that it was prepared for a military offensive while reiterating that time was running out for negotiations. “This is our first and final message. We are giving you…

The Independent National Electoral Commission has announced the deployment of a new Resident Electoral Commissioner for Ondo State, Dr Mutiu Olaleke Agboke, who officially assumed duty on Monday. The commission disclosed this in a statement issued on April 20, 2026, by the Administrative Secretary at its Ondo State headquarters in Akure. According to INEC, Agboke, a legal scholar and election management expert, brings a wealth of experience to the role, having previously served in similar capacities across multiple states. The statement noted that the new REC, an indigene of Abeokuta in Ogun State, was called to the Nigerian Bar in…

The Federal Government has set aside N1.371bn in the 2026 budget for the prosecution of Boko Haram and other terrorism-related cases, marking a sharp 159 per cent increase from the N530m allocated in 2025. The provision, captured under the Federal Ministry of Justice, underscores a renewed push by the government to strengthen the legal response to terrorism and insecurity. An analysis of the 2026 Appropriation Act, recently signed into law by President Bola Tinubu, shows that the allocation forms a significant component of the ministry’s capital expenditure. Tinubu had approved a total budget of N68.32tn for the 2026 fiscal year,…

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and House of Assembly aspirant for Abeokuta North State Constituency, Babatunde Bayewunmi, has faulted the description of Nigerian youths as a “wasted generation,” describing such a characterisation as unfair, discouraging and contrary to the ideals of leadership. Bayewunmi made the remark on Friday while declaring his intention to represent Abeokuta North State Constituency in the Ogun State House of Assembly under the APC platform in the coming election. He said leadership must be rooted in inspiration, inclusion and empowerment, warning that blanket criticism of young people undermines their contributions to national development.…

…Shock, Horse-Trading as Aspirants, Party Heavyweights Left in the Dark Daud Olatunji Fresh details have emerged on how the Presidency reportedly intervened in the internal politics of the Ogun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), culminating in the controversial emergence of Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, as the party’s consensus governorship candidate for the 2027 general elections. PLATFORM TIMES investigations revealed that the directive, allegedly transmitted through top political channels linked to the Presidency, compelled the Ogun APC leadership to adopt Yayi as consensus candidate despite growing resistance from aspirants and dissenting blocs within the…

Aishah Waliyullah The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) has recorded its largest-ever graduating class, conferring degrees on 24,575 students at its 15th Convocation Ceremony held in Abuja on April 17 and 18, 2026. The figure marks a significant milestone in the institution’s history, reinforcing its position as Nigeria’s largest open and distance learning university. At the two-day ceremony, the outgoing cohort comprised 17,474 undergraduate degree holders, 5,282 master’s degree recipients, 1,788 postgraduate diploma graduates, and 31 doctoral degree awardees. A total of 57 graduates finished with First Class honours. The event also marked the first convocation presided over by…

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised the Federal Government’s reported plan to reintegrate 744 individuals described as “repentant terrorists” into society, warning that the policy could undermine justice, weaken national security efforts and deepen the trauma of communities affected by insurgency. The opposition party described the move as a “dangerous failure of judgment,” accusing the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of prioritising rehabilitation over accountability in its counter-terrorism strategy. The controversy follows reports that about 744 former insurgents have completed a Federal Government deradicalisation programme under Operation Safe Corridor and are being prepared for reintegration into their communities.…

The Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes has announced that the reported rift between Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, and the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Rashidi Ladoja, has been amicably resolved. The group, in a statement signed by its President-General, Sulaimon Ajeniyi Ajewole, and made available through its Publicity Secretary, Kola Olomide, on Sunday, said tensions surrounding the relationship between the two leaders had been successfully doused. It described the development as a product of dialogue and established traditional conflict-resolution mechanisms in Ibadanland, stressing that peace had been restored. The council also dismissed speculations of a looming constitutional crisis, including alleged plans…