Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The Lagos State Police Command has dismissed four officers of the Nigeria Police Force over their alleged involvement in the killing of seven traders in the Owode-Onirin area of the state. The state Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh, disclosed this on Thursday while speaking with journalists at the Police Officers’ Mess in Ikeja. Jimoh said the officers were dismissed following an internal disciplinary process, adding that the command had made significant progress in the investigation of the incident. According to him, the dismissed officers were allegedly brought from Nasarawa State by a principal suspect identified simply as Ariori, who is…

Aishah Waliyullah Nigeria may record an improvement in its current account balance if global crude oil prices remain elevated, according to a new report by Bloomberg Economics. The report said Nigeria, Angola and Ghana are the only sub-Saharan African economies likely to benefit from the recent surge in oil prices triggered by the escalating conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran. According to the analysis released on Thursday, higher oil prices could strengthen the external balances of the three oil-producing countries, while many other African economies may experience economic strain. Mhango, explained that if crude oil prices stabilise around…

The Kano State House of Assembly has commenced impeachment proceedings against the Deputy Governor, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, over allegations of gross misconduct, abuse of office and breach of public trust. The notice of impeachment was presented during plenary on Thursday by the Majority Leader, Lawan Hussaini Dala, who said the action was in line with Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended). Dala told lawmakers that the allegations stemmed from Gwarzo’s tenure as Commissioner for Local Government between 2023 and 2024, as well as actions allegedly taken since he assumed office as deputy…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested a 24-year-old palm kernel dealer, Ikechukwu, for allegedly abusing the Nigerian currency during his birthday celebration in Enugu State. PLATFORM TIMES gathered that the suspect was apprehended following the circulation of a viral video on social media in which he was seen spraying and mutilating naira notes while recording himself in a hotel room during the celebration. According to sources familiar with the development, the arrest was carried out on Saturday, February 28, 2026, after intelligence operatives traced the suspect’s identity and residence to the Timber Market area of Enugu-Ezike in Enugu…

The Iranian government has assured that Nigerians living in the country are safe despite escalating tensions in the Middle East triggered by the ongoing military standoff involving the United States, Israel and Iran. Iran’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Mahdavi Raja, gave the assurance on Thursday during a press conference in Abuja, stating that there had been no reports of harm to Nigerian nationals residing in major Iranian cities. Raja said Nigerians living in cities such as Tehran and Qom had remained safe since the outbreak of hostilities, stressing that the Iranian government had prioritised the safety of all foreign residents. “The…

The senator representing Bayelsa West, Seriake Dickson, has resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party and defected to the newly registered Nigeria Democratic Congress. Dickson, a former governor of Bayelsa State, announced his decision on Thursday during a media briefing in Abuja, citing what he described as “irreconcilable differences” within the PDP. The lawmaker said his new political platform, the Nigeria Democratic Congress, would provide a credible opposition capable of strengthening Nigeria’s democratic system. According to him, the party’s registration by the Independent National Electoral Commission marks the beginning of a new political alternative for Nigerians seeking a stronger opposition. He…

The Senate Committee on Public Accounts has summoned a former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Mele Kyari, alongside other former and current officials of the national oil firm over alleged financial discrepancies amounting to N210tn. The committee chairman, Senator Ahmed Wadada, disclosed this during a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday, saying the summons followed what lawmakers described as “unsatisfactory and unacceptable” responses from the oil company regarding its audited financial statements between 2017 and 2023. Wadada said the investigation, which began in May 2025, was triggered by concerns raised in reports from the…

The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights has renewed its call for the establishment of state police across Nigeria, declaring that the current centralised policing structure has become overstretched and ineffective in tackling rising insecurity. In a statement jointly signed by its National President, Comrade Yinka Folarin, and General Secretary, Comrade Idris Afees Olayinka, the civil rights group described the initiative as a critical step towards addressing terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, insurgency and other violent crimes plaguing the country. The group threw its weight behind the newly appointed Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, for inaugurating a high-powered committee to develop…

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has voiced opposition to the proposed Human Rights Defenders Protection Bill, arguing that existing Nigerian laws already provide adequate safeguards for fundamental rights. Fagbemi’s position was delivered through the Chief of State Counsel, Reuben Imarha, at a public hearing by the House of Representatives Committee on Human Rights in Abuja on Wednesday. The hearing examined two key legislations: the Human Rights Defenders Protection Bill, aimed at protecting civil society actors, journalists, lawyers, whistleblowers, faith leaders, and other citizens advocating for constitutional rights; and the bill seeking to repeal and…

Aishah  Waliyullah The newly appointed Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, has vowed that the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) will uphold strict neutrality in all electoral matters, warning that erring officers would face prosecution. Disu, the 23rd IGP, was sworn in by President Bola Tinubu at the Council Chambers of the State House, Abuja, on Wednesday, shortly before the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting. He succeeds Kayode Egbetokun, who resigned last month, citing family reasons. At his inaugural meeting with top police strategists, Disu stressed that the credibility of the 2027 general elections and the stability of Nigeria’s democracy hinge…