Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The United States Department of State has placed 23 Nigerian states on its highest travel risk category, citing escalating insecurity, while ordering the withdrawal of non-essential staff and their families from its embassy in Abuja. The directive, contained in a travel advisory released on Wednesday, also urged American citizens to reconsider travel to Nigeria over concerns bordering on terrorism, kidnapping, violent crime and civil unrest. Nigeria was classified under the “Level 3: Reconsider Travel” category, while 23 states were designated as “Level 4: Do Not Travel,” the most severe warning issued by the U.S. government. Among the states newly added…

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called on Nigerians to take collective responsibility for the country’s future, warning that no individual or group can single-handedly fix the nation’s deep-seated challenges. Obasanjo made the call on Thursday at the sixth annual colloquium organised to mark the 65th birthday of Itua Ighodalo, held under the theme, “The Future of Nigeria.” Represented by Prof. Adedeji Daramola on behalf of the Olusegun Obasanjo Leadership Institute, the former President stressed that nation-building requires the active participation of all citizens, irrespective of social status or profession. He cautioned Nigerians against waiting for “miracles” to transform the country,…

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday night held a closed-door meeting with a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Oyo State, Teslim Folarin, in what observers describe as an early signal of political realignments ahead of the 2027 governorship election. The meeting, which took place at the President’s Ikoyi residence in Lagos, was confirmed by Folarin via his verified social media handles, although details of the discussions were not disclosed. Folarin, who represented Oyo Central in the Senate and flew the APC governorship flag in the 2023 election, remains a key figure within the party’s structure in the state.…

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, on Thursday dismissed allegations that the commission targets opposition figures, insisting that its actions are strictly guided by evidence and due process. Olukoyede spoke in Abuja at the VON Forum organised by the Voice of Nigeria in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation. He maintained that the EFCC’s anti-corruption operations are insulated from partisan politics, stressing that recent arrests and prosecutions were based on verifiable investigations rather than political considerations. The EFCC boss cited the arrest of a politically exposed person over the alleged diversion…

Gunmen suspected to be terrorists have killed five forest guards, including a commander, during a midnight ആക്രമation on Nuku community in Kaiama Local Government Area. PLATFORM TIMES gathered that the assailants stormed the community in the early hours of Friday, unleashing violence that left residents in panic and confusion. Sources said the attackers not only killed the guards but also set ablaze several buildings and destroyed motorcycles belonging to the victims. Patrol vehicles belonging to the police were equally torched during the ആക്രമation. Residents of the community were said to have fled their homes, scampering for safety as gunshots rent…

The Chairman of the University of Lagos Alumni Association, United Kingdom Branch, has called for deeper collaboration between Nigeria and its diaspora professionals, warning that continued brain drain and weak infrastructure could further undermine the country’s education and health sectors. Speaking in an interview after delivering  a printer donated by the Unilag Alumni UK Branch, valued at over ₦1 million to the alma mater, the University of Lagos, the medical doctor and alumni leader said diaspora engagement must go beyond remittances to include knowledge transfer, mentorship and institutional support. He said his involvement in alumni activities was driven by collective…

The death toll from Lassa fever in Nigeria has risen to 167, even as the number of newly confirmed cases declined sharply in the latest reporting week, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC). The agency disclosed this in its Week 13 epidemiological report covering March 23 to March 29, 2026, noting that confirmed infections dropped to 26 from 51 recorded in the previous week. Despite the reduction in fresh cases, health authorities expressed concern over the worsening fatality rate, which now stands at 25.2 per cent—significantly higher than the 18.5 per cent recorded within the…

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has warned that democracy in Nigeria and across the world must be judged not only by elections and political participation but by its ability to deliver tangible economic development, warning that failure to do so could erode public confidence in democratic governance. Jonathan made the remarks on Thursday in Abuja at the public presentation of a research report organised by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation titled “Strengthening the Nexus between Democracy and Economic Growth in Nigeria.” He stressed that while democracy remains globally attractive for its principles of freedom, justice and human dignity, it must go beyond…

 The leadership crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress (ADC) intensified on Thursday as opposing factions led by former Senate President, David Mark, and party chieftain, Ralph Nwosu, took their battle with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to court and the public space, amid disputes over recognition and control of party structures. The dispute centres on the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission to delist the names of Mark as National Chairman and former Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, as National Secretary of the ADC from its official portal. In a fresh motion filed before the Federal High Court…

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has reaffirmed that its National Chairman, Prof. Sadiq Umar Abubakar Gombe, remains the authentic leader of the party, insisting that no court in Nigeria has removed him from office. The party also dismissed claims suggesting otherwise by its expelled former National Chairman, Shehu Musa Gabam, describing such assertions as a “deliberate distortion of court judgments” and “misleading to the public.” In a statement issued on Wednesday by the National Publicity Secretary, Araba Rufus Aiyenigba, the SDP said recent interpretations being circulated around Court of Appeal decisions on pre-election matters in Ekiti State were being wrongly…