Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Furdaus Obiremi At least 22 people are feared dead after suspected bandits ambushed traders travelling under military escort in Bukkuyum Local Government Area of Zamfara State. The attack, which occurred in the early hours of Sunday, reportedly targeted traders travelling from Gurusu to Gwashi to attend the community’s weekly market. The incident has heightened concerns over the persistent insecurity in the North-West state, where repeated attacks by armed groups have continued to threaten lives, disrupt commercial activities and undermine the movement of residents. A resident of the area, Malam Aminu Gwashi, who confirmed the incident, said several people were reportedly…

…24  Newly Listed Nigerians Face Allegations Ranging From Wire Fraud, Money Laundering To Drug Offences Daud Olatunji  The United States government has listed 157 Nigerians among foreign nationals identified under its “Worst of the Worst” criminal immigration enforcement initiative, as President Donald Trump’s administration intensifies its crackdown on illegal immigration. The figure includes 24 Nigerians recently added to the list published and updated by the US Department of Homeland Security, with alleged offences ranging from wire fraud, money laundering and identity theft to drug-related crimes, weapons violations and assault. The development forms part of the Trump administration’s broader immigration enforcement…

Toyyibat Qasim Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has challenged the Independent National Electoral Commission to disclose the identities of companies contracted to print sensitive materials for the 2027 general elections, warning that secrecy surrounding the contracts could undermine public confidence in the electoral process. Atiku also demanded explanations for reported changes in key departments of the electoral commission, insisting that Nigerians deserve assurances that the management of sensitive election materials and the deployment of officials are free from political interference. The former vice-president’s demands were contained in a statement issued by his Director of Strategic Communication, Phrank Shaibu, on behalf of…

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority has disclosed that it responded to 1,409 road traffic crashes and rescued 670 victims across the state between January and September 2026, raising fresh concerns about road safety and the risks confronting motorists in Nigeria’s commercial hub. The authority’s General Manager, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, saying the figures highlighted the agency’s critical role in emergency response, traffic management and efforts to prevent further casualties on Lagos roads. According to him, LASTMA operatives were routinely deployed to crash scenes to assess situations, rescue victims, divert traffic and prevent secondary collisions…

Ayomide Awe The United States Department of Homeland Security has released the names and photographs of 24 Nigerian nationals arrested by immigration authorities over alleged offences ranging from wire fraud and money laundering to drug-related crimes, identity theft, assault and forgery. The disclosure, published on the department’s website, identified the Nigerians and the locations where they were arrested by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The development comes amid the administration of President Donald Trump’s renewed drive to deport non-US citizens with criminal records as part of its broader immigration enforcement policy. According to the DHS, the arrests involved…

Daud Olatunji The Peoples Democratic Party has said it is engaging the Independent National Electoral Commission to resolve the exclusion of some of its candidates from the final lists for the 2027 general elections, following the omission of its governorship aspirants in Ogun and Gombe states. The affected candidates include Ogun State governorship candidate, Ladi Adebutu, and former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, who is seeking to govern Gombe State. The development came after INEC published its final governorship candidates’ lists on Saturday, triggering concerns within the opposition party over the status of the affected aspirants ahead…

Some universities in the United Kingdom have withdrawn admission offers to Nigerian students amid a tightening of student visa rules and concerns by British authorities over the alleged abuse of study visas to pursue asylum claims. The development, reported by the Financial Times, affected mainly Nigerian and Pakistani applicants whose admission offers were revoked during the first half of 2026. The newspaper attributed the move to stricter visa requirements imposed by the UK Home Office and universities’ concerns that rising visa refusal rates could jeopardise their licences to recruit international students. According to the report, 22.7 per cent of study…

Daud  Olatunji Parents of the 20 prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps abducted along the Owerri-Onitsha Expressway have said their ransom contributions were refunded following the victims’ release, but expressed uncertainty over whether the money was eventually paid to the kidnappers. The parents disclosed that all the families had received their money back, including the N6m reportedly paid by the family of one of the abductees, as questions remained unanswered about the circumstances surrounding the refunds. One of the parents, Obasanjo, and Alirat Wahab, whose son was among the abducted prospective corps members, made the disclosure in interviews…

Daud Olatunji The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has re-arrested an 83-year-old woman, Uloma Sunday, for alleged drug trafficking in Abia State, about 17 months after she was convicted alongside her daughter for drug-related offences. The latest arrest was part of a series of intelligence-led operations by the agency, which also led to the arrest of a South African woman allegedly trafficking 32.74 kilogrammes of cannabis, the interception of 354,000 tablets of tapentadol imported from Pakistan, and the recovery of large quantities of illicit drugs and firearms across several states. The NDLEA also reported seizures of more than 3,000 kilogrammes…

…Ogun PDP Alleges APC Pressure, Insists Candidate Will Be On Ballot …Electoral Commission Yet to Explain Omission As Party Insists Adebutu Remains Its Flag Bearer Daud Olatunji The Independent National Electoral Commission has published its final list of candidates for the 2027 general elections, placing Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, on the ballot for the Ogun East Senatorial District, while the omission of the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate, Oladipupo Adebutu, has triggered fresh political controversy in the state. Abiodun, who is seeking election to the Senate on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, is listed alongside the PDP…