Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The United States may soon impose fresh travel restrictions on Nigeria and 35 other countries following a new directive being considered by President Donald Trump’s administration. This development emerged over the weekend through a memo from the U.S. State Department, dated Saturday, June 14, and signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The document, which was dispatched to U.S. embassies globally, outlines concerns over what the Trump administration terms “security risks and immigration non-compliance” associated with the listed countries. According to the memo, affected nations, including Nigeria, Egypt, Ghana, Ethiopia, and 21 other African states, have been given a 60-day…

Ado Aleru, a notorious bandit kingpin declared wanted by the Nigerian Police since 2020, has resurfaced — not in handcuffs, but at a government-endorsed peace meeting held in Bichi community, Danmusa Local Government Area of Katsina State. Aleru, with a N5 million bounty still hanging on his head, appeared in a now-viral video addressing government officials, traditional rulers, and security operatives. The event, reportedly attended by Nigerian Army personnel and other state actors, was aimed at fostering dialogue between Fulani herders and farmers in the conflict-ridden region. The bandit leader, whose group has been linked to several killings and kidnappings…

A group of traditional masqueraders have reportedly invaded a mosque and the residence of the Chief Imam in Oke Agbe, Akoko North Local Government Area of Ondo State, assaulting his wives and children in a violent attack that has drawn sharp condemnation from the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC). The incident, which occurred on Thursday, June 12, 2025, saw scores of masquerade adherents storm the Islamic cleric’s home, beating up his family members without provocation, according to a statement issued by MURIC on Sunday, June 15. Executive Director of the Islamic human rights group, Professor Ishaq Akintola, described the attack as…

Tears and devastation have gripped Yelwata, a community in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, following a brutal overnight attack by suspected herdsmen that has left scores dead and homes in ruins. Eyewitnesses said that the coordinated assault, which occurred late Friday night through the early hours of Saturday, claimed over 100 lives, with some houses recording mass casualties. In one home alone, 40 corpses were recovered, while another family lost 15 members, according to local accounts. “This is not just an attack; it’s a massacre,” said a grieving resident in a viral video. “We were inside because it…

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has announced the deployment of 4,000 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered tankers for the nationwide distribution of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and diesel, beginning August 15, 2025. The initiative, described as a game-changer by industry observers, will enable the refinery to supply fuel directly to petrol stations, manufacturers, telecommunications firms, aviation companies, and other large-scale users across the country—with free logistics support. In a statement issued on Sunday and made available to PLATFORM TIMES , the company said the initiative would cut out traditional logistics costs, reduce energy expenses, and promote cleaner fuel usage. It also aligns…

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a Nigerian man based in Italy, Edobor Ambrose Ali, for attempting to smuggle over 14,000 pills of tramadol concealed in winter jackets through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos. Ali, who claimed to be a resident of Milan, was intercepted on Saturday, June 14, by NDLEA officers in collaboration with Aviation Security personnel of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) as he tried to board an Air France flight to Italy. Spokesperson for the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, in a statement issued on Sunday, said the suspect’s…

No fewer than 13 criminal suspects, including alleged kidnappers and murderers, have escaped from police custody in Nasarawa State, sparking widespread concern over lapses in the security and justice system. The detainees reportedly broke out of the Area Command cell facility in the early hours of Saturday, June 14, 2025, at about 6:30am, after successfully breaching the rear wall of the detention centre. The suspects were being held by operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping and Anti-Cultism Units at the time of the jailbreak. Credible police sources confirmed the incident to Zagazola Makama on Sunday, revealing that the fugitives include several suspects…

Daud Olatunji A decade-long legal battle over the rightful authority to appoint the Baale (traditional head) of Olorunda community in Abeokuta North Local Government Area of Ogun State has been dismissed by the Ogun State High Court sitting in Abeokuta. In a judgment delivered by Justice O.O. Osunfisan, the court struck out both the main suit and the counter-claims for lacking legal merit and due to non-compliance with procedural requirements. The judge ruled that neither the claimants nor the counter-claimants could establish sufficient legal grounds for the reliefs sought. The suit, filed on April 29, 2013, was instituted by five…

Daud Olatunji  A constellation of dignitaries including former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Senator Shuaib Salis, former UK Ambassador Sarafa Isola, and a host of traditional leaders and eminent Nigerians gathered at the Abeokuta Club for an emotional evening of tributes in honour of the late Chief Olatunde Ayinla Abudu, CFR — the Mayegun of Egbaland, industrialist, philanthropist, and life president of the prestigious Abeokuta Club. The event, titled “An Evening of Tributes in Honour of Chief Olatunde Ayinla Abudu”, was held to commemorate the life and legacy of the foremost Egba statesman who passed away on June 9, 2025, at the…

Former Vice President of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has urged Nigerians, especially Christians and the youth, to reject political apathy and actively participate in governance, stressing that meaningful change can only be achieved through direct political engagement. Speaking on Saturday at the second annual Daniel Taiwo Odukoya Memorial Lecture, held at The Fountain of Life Church, Lagos, Osinbajo declared that Nigerians must embrace politics as a moral and civic duty, not merely as a career path or a means to wealth. Delivering a keynote on the theme “The Evolving Relationship Between the Church and the Government in Nigeria,” the former…