Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, on Sunday paid a surprise visit to former President Olusegun Obasanjo at his private residence in Abeokuta, Ogun State — a gesture many observers described as a symbolic end to their long-standing political hostility. The visit comes ahead of Fayose’s 65th birthday, scheduled for November 15, and forms part of a series of goodwill visits from prominent Nigerian leaders in recent days. Photographs shared on X (formerly Twitter) by Lere Olayinka, media aide to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, showed the two leaders in warm embrace and cheerful conversation. One of the images captured…

… Over 13,000 Insurgents Killed, 124,000 Others Surrender In One Year … 2.1 million Displaced Nigerians Return Home Daud Olatunji  The Presidency on Sunday said Nigeria has recorded an 81 per cent reduction in terror-related deaths since 2015, attributing the development to improved counter-insurgency strategies and stronger synergy among security agencies. In a statement posted on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle, the Presidency said the significant decline was the outcome of intensified operations against insurgents and enhanced collaboration with communities affected by terrorism. According to the statement, more than 13,000 terrorists were neutralised in the past year alone, while…

Hassan Taiwo Gafar The UK-Based Cybersecurity and Software Engineering Expert Empowering Nigeria’s Next Generation of Tech InnovatorsIn the rapidly evolving world of digital technology, few Nigerians abroad combine technical excellence in cybersecurity and software engineering with a passion for youth empowerment as effectively as Hassan Gafar — a UK-based technologist committed to shaping the next generation of digital talent. Born and raised in Nigeria, Hassan’s fascination with technology began early. What started as curiosity led him to pursue a degree in Cybersecurity and Software Development in the United Kingdom, where he has since built a thriving career designing secure digital…

The Anambra State Police Command has rescued a three-year-old boy stolen in September and dismantled a child trafficking syndicate operating across Anambra, Enugu, and Lagos states. The command’s spokesperson, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, confirming the arrest of six suspects connected to the crime. Ikenga said the case was first reported on September 4, 2025, when the victim’s mother raised the alarm after discovering that her son had disappeared while in the care of a neighbour, later identified as Samuel Ibe, of Umusiome, Nkpor Uno. “Following the report, operatives attached to the Gender Unit of…

Four years after his mysterious disappearance, a former student of Bayero University, Kano (BUK), Shafiu Auwal Ibrahim, has been found alive in Kaduna State, living under the care of an Islamic cleric. Shafiu, who was said to have vanished from the Janbulo area of Kano in 2021, left his parents and relatives in deep distress after all efforts to locate him proved futile. His sudden disappearance had forced his family to assume he was dead. According to family sources, the discovery came after the parents decided to resume their search this year, only to learn that their son was living…

Six of Nigeria’s top financial institutions have collectively recorded over N2.4 trillion in profit after tax (PAT) within the first nine months of 2025, reflecting a 20 per cent year-on-year growth compared to N2 trillion declared in the same period of 2024. The banks — First HoldCo Plc, Access Holdings Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Sterling Financial Holdings Plc, and Wema Bank Plc — also saw significant growth in customer deposits, signaling stronger liquidity and increased public confidence in the banking sector. According to data extracted from the banks’ unaudited financial statements on the Nigerian…

The United Kingdom government has issued a fresh travel advisory warning its citizens against travelling to 21 Nigerian states due to what it described as “increasing insecurity” across the country. The advisory, released by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and updated on October 21, 2025, cited kidnapping, terrorism, banditry, and intercommunal violence as major threats facing Nigerians and foreign nationals. “Insecurity is increasing across Nigeria. Kidnapping, violent crime, and intercommunal violence occur throughout all regions,” the FCDO stated. In the North-East, the UK advised against all travel to Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, and Gombe States, warning of possible retaliatory…

The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has rejected the redesignation of Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” by the United States, insisting that the nation’s security crisis is not rooted in religion but in governance and criminality. Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Sunday, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, the Secretary-General of the NSCIA, faulted the decision of former U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration to include Nigeria on the watchlist, describing it as “an act of political cynicism.” According to Oloyede, while Nigeria is battling insecurity, the violence being experienced across the country is driven by multiple…

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Mr. Thompson Oludare Sunday, says the Corporation now operates under a more robust legal framework that empowers it to hold individuals accountable for bank failures. Sunday stated this when he received the President and Chairman of the Council of the Business Recovery and Insolvency Practitioners Association of Nigeria (BRIPAN), Mr. Chimezie Victor Ihekweazu (SAN), and members of his council on a courtesy visit to the NDIC headquarters in Abuja. According to him, the enactment of the NDIC Act No. 30 of 2023 and the Banks and…

A presiding officer with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) fainted on Saturday as voters clamoured to cast their ballots during the Anambra governorship election, following a malfunction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) at Polling Unit 005, Enugwu-Ukwu, Njikoka Local Government Area. The officer, identified as Blessing Egoigwe, collapsed at the height of confusion and complaints from frustrated voters, and was promptly rushed to a nearby hospital for medical attention. The incident disrupted the voting process for over 470 registered voters, many of whom were unable to exercise their franchise due to technical failures. Reports indicate that the…