Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Juggling books and leadership is a tough balancing act for many undergraduates, but for Samuel Sodunke Sunday, it became a path to personal excellence. Graduating with a CGPA of 4.62 in English and Literary Studies from the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, he not only earned first-class honours but also left an imprint through his tutorial initiative and spiritual leadership. In this interview with KOREDE BADMUS, Sodunke shares how faith, discipline, and service shaped his success story — and why students must prepare for more than academic triumphs. Can we meet you? I’m Samuel Sunday Sodunke, a recent graduate of English…

A newly-emerged terror group known as Mahmuda has launched a fresh attack on Duruma village (Karonji) in the Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State, sparking tension and fear among residents. The attack, which occurred on Friday evening, saw the militants arrive on motorcycles and begin shooting indiscriminately, sources confirmed. During the attack, the terrorists reportedly set fire to a vehicle and several motorcycles belonging to the local vigilante group. However, the vigilantes were able to repel the attack, killing two of the assailants in the process. “This was what the Mahmuda boys did yesterday. They burnt our vigilantes’ vehicles,…

Nigeria’s imports from China more than doubled in 2024, hitting N14.15tn, up from N6.6tn in 2023, according to new figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics. The data, captured in the NBS’s latest Foreign Trade Statistics report, showed a 114.3 per cent rise year-on-year, reinforcing China’s position as Nigeria’s largest import trading partner. On the export side, Nigeria’s goods shipped to China rose to N2.99tn in 2024, up from N891.38bn in the previous year, representing a 236 per cent increase. Despite this growth, China ranked seventh among Nigeria’s top export destinations, reflecting a continued trade imbalance. Overall, bilateral trade…

A former Governor of Ogun State and senator, Ibikunle Amosun, has condemned the renewed violence in Plateau State, describing the killings as senseless and a tragic setback to Nigeria’s quest for unity and peaceful coexistence. Amosun also decried the activities of terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and Lakurawa in Nigeria, and ISIS and Al-Qaeda abroad, insisting that their actions grossly misrepresent the true teachings of Islam. He made the remarks on Saturday while delivering a speech during a merit award ceremony at the 11th Triennial National Conference and 101st Anniversary of the Ansar-ud-Deen Society of Nigeria held in Abeokuta,…

Tragedy struck in the Olobe Farm area of Igbajo, Osun State, on Friday, as a farmer, Mr Abideen Olabiyi, was killed by a swarm of bees, leaving two others critically injured. The deceased and the two victims—identified as Mr Solomon Kingsley and Chief Olusegun Alalade—were said to have gone to the farm when they were suddenly attacked by the swarm. The incident was confirmed in a situation report by the Otan Ayegbaju Police Division, obtained on Saturday. According to the report, the three men, all from the Alalade compound in Ada, were on the farm when the bees descended on…

The Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Dr Emomotimi Agama, has said that the Commission cannot recover the N1.3tn reportedly lost by Nigerians to the now-defunct Crypto Bridge Exchange, also known as CBEX. The unregistered digital platform, which operated under the name ST Technologies International Ltd, allegedly vanished last Monday with the funds of about 600,000 Nigerian investors. CBEX had lured victims with the promise of 100 per cent return on investment within 30 days. Speaking to journalists, Agama said the Commission was unable to assist the victims in recovering their funds because the platform was never registered…

The Borno State Police Command has arrested a social media activist, Sultan Usman, for allegedly defaming the character of the Executive Secretary of the Borno State Geographic Information Service, Adam Bababe. Usman’s arrest followed a social media exchange in which he criticised Bababe over the state government’s flood prevention efforts. After a flood incident in the state in September, Bababe had posted on X, formerly Twitter, stating that the government faced resistance from communities while attempting to implement flood control measures. “Emergency Lovers of Borno… kindly note that the government faced strong resistance from the public to enforce prevention,” Bababe…

There was mild drama at the Emir’s Palace in Bauchi on Friday as the state’s Deputy Governor, Auwal Jatau, allegedly slapped the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, during a heated exchange. The incident occurred during the turbaning ceremony of former Bauchi State Governor, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, as the Makama Babba 1 of Bauchi Emirate. The event also coincided with the wedding of Abubakar’s daughter, Khadija. Top political figures, including Vice President Kashim Shettima and Gombe State Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, were present at the high-profile occasion. Eyewitnesses said that the clash erupted after Tuggar reportedly made unflattering remarks…

The Nigeria Police Force has extradited Benjamin Best Nnayereugo, popularly known as “Killaboi,” from Doha, Qatar, over the alleged murder of his 21-year-old girlfriend, Miss Augusta Oseodion Onuwabhagbe. The fugitive was returned to Nigeria in the early hours of Saturday, April 19, 2025, following a coordinated operation involving the Ministry of Justice, INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB), Force Headquarters, and Qatari judicial authorities. Force spokesperson, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, in a statement on Saturday, said the extradition process began after the deceased’s family submitted a petition through their lawyers on September 29, 2024. Investigations revealed that Onuwabhagbe, a first-class student of…

Daud Olatunji President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has lauded the Ansar-ud-Deen Society of Nigeria as a historic and critical force in nation-building, calling on the group to deepen its partnership with government in addressing Nigeria’s social and economic challenges. Delivering his message at the opening of the society’s 11th Triennial National Conference held in Abeokuta, President Tinubu, represented by Ogun State Deputy Governor, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele, said the enduring impact of Ansar-ud-Deen on Islamic education, moral empowerment, and community development has made it a “pillar of our national fabric.” “For over a century, the Ansar-ud-Deen Society has championed the cause of…