Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The United States Government has approved over $240m in humanitarian assistance to support vulnerable populations in Nigeria and several other crisis-affected countries, in a move aimed at strengthening emergency response and life-saving interventions. The funding, awarded to Catholic Relief Services, will be deployed across Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Haiti and Sudan, targeting critical sectors including food security, healthcare, nutrition, water, sanitation and shelter. A senior official of the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Disaster and Humanitarian Response, Ryan Shrum, announced the intervention on Friday in Rome, Italy. He spoke alongside the U.S. Ambassador to the Holy…

A retired Major General, Abubakar Rabe, and his wife, Hajiya Amina Abubakar, have appealed to authorities and community leaders to facilitate their rescue after spending one week in captivity following their abduction in Katsina State. The plea was contained in a four-minute video released by their abductors and circulated on social media on Saturday, heightening concerns over the worsening security situation in the North-West. In the footage, the visibly distressed couple spoke under duress, relaying the demands of their captors, who called for the release of three detained individuals—identified as Sani, Aminu and Nasiru—as well as the return of livestock…

By BASHIR ADEFAKA Nigeria stands today at a fragile crossroads. Terrorism, banditry, and violent criminality continue to threaten our national stability, yet beyond the bullets and bloodshed lies another danger—careless rhetoric and divisive narratives that risk tearing apart what remains of our fragile unity. It has become increasingly common to hear certain groups frame Nigeria’s security crisis as a calculated agenda of “Fulanisation” or “Islamisation.” These claims, repeated loudly and frequently, are often presented as unquestionable truths. But the question must be asked: which narrative are we meant to accept—and on what evidence? Terrorism is a global phenomenon. It thrives…

…Stranded Bayelsa indigene faces forced exit, no money to return home Daud Olatunji A young Nigerian, Emmanuel Walter from Bayelsa State, has become one of the most visible faces of distress among Africans stranded in Cambodia following a government directive ordering all affected foreign nationals to leave the country by June 15, 2026. Walter, who is currently stuck in deteriorating conditions in the Southeast Asian nation, is pleading for urgent assistance to return home after what he and others describe as a failed overseas job arrangement that left him stranded without financial support or safety net. His case comes as…

A prominent Islamic scholar, Imaam Taofiq AbdulAzeez, has called on Nigerian authorities to consider granting religious groups the autonomy to handle criminal cases involving their adherents in accordance with their respective religious laws. AbdulAzeez, who is the National Missioner of the Dawah Front of Nigeria and Chief Imam of the University of Abuja, made the call on Saturday in a statement titled “Absurdity of the Tragedy of Absurdity.” The cleric expressed deep concern over the worsening state of insecurity in the country, describing recent incidents as increasingly alarming and surpassing previous episodes in severity. According to him, the recurring wave…

There are strong indications that the All Progressives Congress candidate for Ifo/Ewekoro Federal Constituency, Motunrayo Adijat Adeleye, may mark her 50th birthday with a humanitarian initiative rather than the customary fanfare associated with such milestones. Findings by PLATFORM TIMES revealed that Adeleye, a former Ogun State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, is considering the establishment of a trust fund aimed at supporting survivors of gender-based violence, vulnerable children, and persons living with disabilities. Although details of the proposed initiative remain sketchy and unconfirmed, sources within political and social circles said the move has already begun to attract commendation…

Condemnation has continued to mount over the assault of journalists by private security operatives during a government enforcement exercise at the Ogun–Guangdong Free Trade Zone, with the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) demanding swift prosecution of all those involved. The incident occurred on Wednesday, 3 June 2026, when officials of the Ogun State Internal Revenue Service stormed the industrial zone in Igbesa, Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area to enforce tax compliance measures against companies alleged to be owing statutory obligations running into millions of naira. PLATFORM TIMES reports that journalists from the Ogun State Television and Channels Television,…

Despite rapid growth in electronic banking and fintech services, a staggering proportion of Nigeria’s currency remains outside the formal financial system, with experts attributing the trend to election spending, distrust of banks, and the dominance of the informal economy. Latest data from the Central Bank of Nigeria shows that currency outside banks rose to N5.08tn in April 2026, representing over 90 per cent of the N5.64tn total money in circulation. The figure implies that about nine out of every 10 naira notes are held outside the banking system. Financial analysts say the development highlights deep-rooted structural challenges in the economy,…

The Emir of Argungu, Muhammad Samaila Mera, has urged residents of his emirate to lawfully acquire arms to defend themselves against escalating bandit attacks. The monarch made the call during a security meeting with district, village and ward heads at his palace in Argungu, Argungu, stressing the need for communities to take proactive steps to safeguard lives and property. Mera advised that communities could collectively raise funds to procure legally approved weapons, noting that the mere knowledge that residents are armed could serve as a deterrent to criminal elements. “If such weapons are acquired legally, let it be known that…

The Anambra State High Court sitting in Awka has remanded eight self-acclaimed pastors in correctional custody over their alleged involvement in staging fake miracles to defraud unsuspecting members of the public. The clerics were arraigned on Friday as part of an ongoing crackdown by the Anambra State Government under the administration of Chukwuma Charles Soludo on what it described as organised religious fraud and public deception. The defendants include Ndubisi Nnachukwu, Ekeleme Chris Ugochukwu, Emeka Nwamkpa, Peter Chukwu, Chinedu Egwuonwu, Ebele Nnachukwu, Miracle Iruoma and Chukwukadibia Ogwuama, all linked to different ministries across the state. They are facing charges bordering…