Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The political crisis rocking Rivers State deepened on Monday as Hector Ekakita, the Chief Security Officer of Ahoada East Local Government Area, distanced himself from the brutal assault on the council’s Sole Administrator, Mr Goodluck Iheamnacho, while linking the incident to political appointees loyal to the suspended Governor, Siminalayi Fubara. Ekakita, who was recently named by the police as a prime suspect in the attack, denied any involvement, insisting that the chaos which led to Iheamnacho’s public humiliation and forced resignation was triggered by the council boss’s alleged patronage of Fubara’s political supporters. In an interview on a TV station,…

Nine leading Nigerian banks have reported a combined interest expense of N1.9 trillion in the first quarter of 2025, marking a sharp 43.2% increase from the N1.33 trillion recorded in the same period last year. This development, based on an analysis of the banks’ unaudited financial statements, signals growing funding pressures in Nigeria’s financial sector, even as total interest income from the lenders rose to N4.18 trillion within the same period. Interest expense refers to the cost banks incur in borrowing money, particularly what they pay on customer deposits and interbank borrowings. The rising figures suggest higher competition for deposits,…

A police officer has been shot dead and a Chinese expatriate kidnapped in a brazen daylight ambush by suspected gunmen in Yagba East Local Government Area of Kogi State. The incident, which occurred around 1:22 p.m. on Saturday, targeted a convoy escorting Mr. Gu Xiaowu, a staff member of Rilix Mining Company operating in the Isanlu axis of the state. According to a confidential police situation report obtained by PLATFORM TIMES, the armed attackers laid siege to the escort team comprising operatives of the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. They opened fire on the…

The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has directed police officers across the country to steer clear of civil land disputes, warning that any personnel found meddling in such matters will face stiff disciplinary action. This directive was reiterated by the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, in a statement released on Sunday by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Henry Okoye. CP Danjuma stated unequivocally that land-related disputes remain civil matters that fall under the jurisdiction of the courts, not the police. He warned that the Command would not tolerate any officer attempting to interfere or intimidate parties involved…

 A political storm has erupted over the legacy of Nigeria’s June 12, 1993, presidential election as former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido accused President Bola Tinubu of supporting the controversial annulment of the historic poll, widely believed to have been won by Chief Moshood Abiola. Lamido, in an interview on Arise Television on Saturday, claimed that Tinubu, a senator at the time under the Social Democratic Party (SDP), backed then military ruler General Ibrahim Babangida’s annulment of the election, which plunged Nigeria into years of political turmoil. According to Lamido, Tinubu only became prominent in the democratic struggle after General…

—Search underway for missing woman as family mourns slain sibling There was panic in Osisioma, near Aba in Abia State, on Friday night after a bride-to-be, Uzoamaka Joseph Aliu, was abducted and her brother, Chibueze Franklin Joseph, was shot dead by suspected gunmen just hours to her wedding ceremony. The tragic incident occurred around 8:00 p.m. on June 20, 2025, when the siblings were reportedly heading to a church in preparation for the nuptial event. PLATFORM TIMES gathered that Chibueze, 27, had travelled from Owerri to support his sister’s wedding and was assisting with logistics when the assailants struck. According…

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently overhaul his administration’s response to the growing crises of insecurity and corruption in the country. Obi warned that Nigeria risks further loss of lives and a rapid erosion of its global reputation if immediate and decisive actions are not taken. In a statement shared via his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle, the former Anambra State governor expressed deep concern over what he described as the increasing normalisation of bloodshed and impunity across the nation. “The regularity of bloodletting of innocent souls…

…accuse governor of misplaced priorities, urge cancellation Opposition parties in Oyo State have condemned the Governor Seyi Makinde-led administration over the approval of N63.5 billion for the renovation of the State Government House, describing the move as insensitive and a gross misplacement of priorities. The controversy follows last week’s announcement by the state government that the sum of ₦63,479,858,000 had been earmarked for the comprehensive overhaul of the Government House. An additional ₦131.7 million was also approved for the employment of professional gardeners to maintain green areas within the facility. Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, who confirmed the approvals in…

A wave of outrage has trailed a disturbing incident in Rivers State where the Sole Administrator of Ahoada East Local Government Area, Goodluck Iheamnacho, was violently attacked by thugs who flogged him with cutlasses and compelled him to sign a resignation letter under duress. In a viral video circulated on Facebook, the administrator was seen being brutalized by a group of men inside what appeared to be the council secretariat. One of the assailants barked orders at him to “sign immediately,” while another victim lay beside him, raising his hands in apparent surrender. The video showed Iheamnacho, who was appointed…

Daud Olatunji,  Prince Gboyega Nasir Isiaka, the lawmaker representing Yewa North/Imeko-Afon Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, has disclosed that he has sponsored six strategic bills, empowered over 4,000 constituents, and facilitated critical infrastructure projects within just two years in office. Isiaka, who is popularly known as GNI, made the revelations on Sunday during a media parley with some  Journalists in Ogun State, held in Abeokuta. He also used the occasion to declare his full support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s second-term ambition, saying the President’s bold reforms are beginning to reposition the country for long-term stability. Presenting his…