Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The Borno State Police Command has arrested a suspected car thief, Umar Lawan, after recovering a vehicle stolen during an armed robbery in Ogun State. The Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Nahum Daso, confirmed the development in a statement on Tuesday, disclosing that the arrest was made following intelligence provided by the Car Dealers Association in Maiduguri. According to Daso, the dealers had raised suspicion about a white Toyota car with Lagos registration number SMK 975 JY, which Lawan attempted to sell without providing convincing proof of ownership. He explained that police operatives attached to the Command’s Crack Squad swiftly…

A disturbing video has surfaced online showing armed vigilante operatives assaulting and stripping a female member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Anambra State. The incident, which reportedly occurred on July 23, 2025, at a corps members’ lodge, involved men believed to be members of the Operation Udo Ga-Achi, also known as the Agunechemba Vigilante Group. The victim, identified as Jennifer Edema Elohor, was seen in the viral footage being beaten and stripped naked by men carrying rifles, despite presenting her NYSC identity card to prove her status. The rights group, Haven 360 Foundation, which released the footage…

The United Nations has warned that Nigeria is on the brink of a deepening humanitarian crisis, with over 31 million people currently food insecure and more than 10 million children under five suffering from acute malnutrition, out of which 3.5 million face severe malnutrition. The disturbing figures were disclosed on Tuesday in Abuja during a joint meeting between the Federal Government and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) to mark the 2025 World Humanitarian Day, themed “Strengthening Global Solidarity and Empowering Local Communities.” UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria, Mohamed Fall, said the crisis is…

Nigeria spends over $10 billion every year on food imports, including wheat, rice, sugar, fish, and even tomato paste, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, has revealed. Kyari, who spoke on Tuesday at the First Bank of Nigeria Agric and Export Expo in Lagos, decried the rising dependence on foreign food products despite the country’s vast agricultural resources. Represented by his Special Adviser, Ibrahim Alkali, the minister stressed that inadequate financing for the agriculture sector was crippling Nigeria’s food security and limiting its potential in global trade. “Agriculture contributes 35 percent of our GDP and employs 35…

The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the freezing of four bank accounts linked to the immediate past Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, over alleged fraud and money laundering. Justice Emeka Nwite issued the order on Tuesday after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) moved an ex parte application seeking to preserve the funds pending the conclusion of investigations. The EFCC, through its counsel, Ogechi Ujam, told the court that the commission had traced suspicious inflows amounting to ₦661,464,601.50 to the accounts domiciled in Jaiz Bank and allegedly controlled…

Thirteen worshippers were on Tuesday morning killed when armed bandits stormed a mosque in Unguwan Mantau, Malumfashi Local Government Area of Katsina State, during dawn (Fajr) prayers. The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Dr. Nasir Muazu, who confirmed the incident, described it as a reprisal attack by the assailants after members of the community reportedly killed several bandits in an ambush two days earlier. According to Muazu, the attackers stormed the mosque around 5:00 a.m., shooting sporadically at worshippers while prayers were ongoing. “The criminals struck in retaliation. Two days ago, the people of Unguwan Mantau laid an…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has detained two top officials of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) over allegations of massive financial fraud linked to the conduct of the 2025 Hajj. Those in custody are the Commissioner of Policy, Personnel and Finance, Aliu Abdulrazak, and the Director of Finance and Accounts, Aminu Y. Muhammed. PLATFORM TIMES gathered that the duo honoured an invitation to the EFCC headquarters in Abuja around 11 a.m. on Monday but were not released as of late Monday night. The arrests come amid growing allegations of large-scale mismanagement of Hajj funds under the…

Renowned elder statesman, human rights advocate, and philanthropist, Otunba Ephraim Lana Akintan, on Monday marked his 96th birthday with thanksgiving and special prayers for traditional rulers, business leaders, and his mentees who have dedicated themselves to service and philanthropy. The modest but symbolic celebration, held at his Oja-Odan residence, witnessed the nonagenarian offering heartfelt prayers for the Oloja of Oja-Odan, Oba (Engr.) Oyebanji Adetunji Olowobese, and the town’s residents, seeking divine wisdom and guidance for the monarch in steering the community. Otunba Akintan also prayed specially for some of his mentees, including the Chairman of IBD IMPEX Ltd, Chief Ibrahim…

A kidnap syndicate ran out of luck on Monday in Nasarawa State after a ghastly accident exposed their operations, leading to the recovery of a cache of weapons and ₦6.9 million ransom. The incident occurred in Angwan Mayo, Kokona Local Government Area, when the gang’s Opel Vectra, with registration number Plateau BLD 566 ST, lost control near a Vehicle Inspection Officer (VIO) checkpoint. The Nasarawa State Police Command said two of the suspects fled immediately after the crash but were forced to abandon their loot. Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ramhan Nansel, disclosed that a vigilant VIO officer had already…

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday said more than 69,000 Nigerians completed their online pre-registration for voter cards within the first seven hours of resuming its nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR). INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja. According to him, the online registration portal, which went live at 8:30 a.m., had recorded 69,376 applications by 3:30 p.m. the same day. A breakdown of the figure showed that 33,803 (48.7 per cent) were male, while 35,573 (51.3 per cent) were female. Young Nigerians…