Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Daud Olatunji  No fewer than 4,013 individuals were killed while 3,561 others were kidnapped across Nigeria between January 2 and April 22, 2025, a new report by Beacon Consulting has revealed. The firm, which tracks insecurity trends across the country, said Northern Nigeria continues to bear the heaviest burden, accounting for 79 per cent of all reported incidents during the period under review. According to the data, the North West was the epicentre of the violence, responsible for 37 per cent of the total incidents, with 1,095 recorded attacks. The region also witnessed the highest number of casualties, with 1,642…

No fewer than five children have died while several others are currently hospitalised following a measles outbreak that has unsettled the Unguwar Kanawa community in the Zaria Local Government Area of Kaduna State. The Village Head of Unguwar Kanawa, Nasiru Yunusa, who confirmed the development, disclosed that two children from the same family died just a week ago. Speaking with journalists, Yunusa attributed the outbreak to vaccine hesitancy, noting that many parents initially refused to vaccinate their children due to widespread misconceptions about immunisation. “Two-thirds of our people didn’t like vaccinating their children due to misconceptions,” he said. “But now,…

The Oyo State Police Command on Saturday said it has uncovered a human trafficking syndicate in Ibadan, rescuing its 83 victims. The police public relations officer, Adewale Osifeso, disclosed this to journalists in Ibadan. Mr Osifeso said the rescued victims comprised 57 males and 26 females, including an infant. He, however, said further investigation into the incident was ongoing, promising to update the public accordingly. It was gathered that the victims were rescued from a residential building in the Orogun area of Ibadan, where they had allegedly been held for an undisclosed period. According to an anonymous source, the victims,…

The Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has directed a total crackdown on unregistered hospitals and quack medical personnel operating in the FCT. Lere Olayinka, the minister’s media aide, said on Saturday that Mr Wike gave the directive while reacting to the death of a pregnant woman at a private health facility in Durumi, Abuja, after a caesarean section. According to him, the minister has warned that anyone operating an illegal facility or working in an unregistered health facility should be arrested and prosecuted. He said it was unfortunate that, despite the free registration of pregnant women in…

Gunmen have abducted the Head of Legal Department at Oke Ero Local Government Area of Kwara State, Barrister Elizabeth Arinde. The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ilorin Branch, disclosed this in a statement signed by its Chairman, S.M.H. Kosemani, on Saturday. According to the association, Arinde was kidnapped on Friday while travelling from Oke Ero to Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, alongside the Deputy Permanent Secretary of the council. “We are deeply concerned to inform you that Barrister Elizabeth Arinde, Head of the Legal Department at Oke Ero Local Government in Kwara State, has been kidnapped,” the NBA said in the…

A Magistrates’ Court sitting at Rijiyar Zaki, Kano State, has sentenced one Alhaji Inuwa Ayuba to two months’ imprisonment for the unlawful felling of seven neem trees in Sarauniya village, Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area. The court, however, gave Ayuba an option of a fine, in addition to ordering him to plant 14 neem trees as part of his punishment. The prosecution counsel, Barrister Bahijja H. Aliyu, told the court that the convict was apprehended following a swift response by the monitoring team of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change. She explained that the team had received a tip-off…

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has announced a cash reward for any individual who can provide credible evidence that a Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) candidate was posted to an examination town different from the one selected during registration. The Board made this known in a statement issued on Saturday by its Public Communication Advisor, Fabian Benjamin, amid what it described as persistent misinformation regarding its examination centre placement process. JAMB stressed that contrary to widespread claims, no candidate is assigned to a town different from their preferred choice at the point of registration. “Some parents are continually being…

Daud Olatunji The newly appointed Customs Area Controller (CAC) of Ogun 1 Area Command, Comptroller GA Otunla, on Thursday officially assumed duty with a pledge to consolidate on the achievements of his predecessor and intensify the fight against smuggling along the nation’s borders. Speaking at the handing-over ceremony held at the Command’s headquarters in Idiroko, Otunla who took over from Comptroller Salisbury Shuaib, expressed gratitude to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, and the management of the Nigeria Customs Service for entrusting him with the responsibility. “I assure you all that I will give it my best, guided by…

The international spotlight is on Nigeria this week as both the UK and the FBI ramp up efforts to tackle serious crimes, with significant operations targeting immigration violations and online extortion scams. In a coordinated move by UK authorities, 43 individuals have been deported to Nigeria and Ghana, marking a major step in the UK’s ongoing crackdown on illegal immigration. A statement released by the UK Home Office and the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) confirmed the deportation of these offenders, including 15 failed asylum seekers and 11 foreign national criminals who had completed their prison sentences. Though the…

The Federal Government on Friday defended its decision to install a ₦10bn solar power system at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, citing the unsustainable ₦47bn annual electricity bill as a key motivation. Director General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria, Mustapha Abdullahi, disclosed this while addressing journalists in Abuja. He said the move was part of efforts to cut governance costs and align with President Bola Tinubu’s clean energy transition agenda. “This initiative will not only ensure uninterrupted power supply to the Villa, it will also drastically reduce dependence on the national grid, foster innovation, and create jobs for Nigerian…