Author: Platform Times Newspaper

A Lagos State High Court has sentenced Okpara Onyekachi to life imprisonment for the death of a Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) officer in a road crash, describing the ruling as a landmark victory for justice and road safety enforcement in Nigeria. The judgment, delivered at the TBS Division under suit number LD/24692C/2024, followed the November 16, 2023, incident at Orile-Iganmu, Lagos, where Deputy Chief Road Marshal Assistant Ajomale was killed while performing his official duties. Investigations revealed that Onyekachi, driving a 40-foot container-laden truck at excessive speed, rammed into a stationary mini truck that had been stopped for inspection.…

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has defended the National Assembly’s decision to remove the mandatory electronic transmission of election results from the amended Electoral Act, citing poor network coverage and insecurity in parts of the country as major hurdles. Speaking on Sunday in Abuja during the launch of former senator Effiong Bob’s book, The Burdens of Legislators in Nigeria, Akpabio dismissed criticisms of the Senate’s move, arguing that the responsibility for election technology lies solely with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Last week, the Senate expunged the clause mandating real-time electronic transmission of results, a decision that sparked backlash from…

Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, has warned that the growing politicisation of Nigeria’s security and justice institutions is eroding public trust and threatening the foundations of democracy. In a statement titled “National Security, Justice, and the People’s Wellbeing: Reclaiming the Purpose of Power” released on Sunday, El-Rufai said the country was drifting from genuine national security to what he described as “regime security,” where state institutions are deployed to protect political incumbents rather than citizens. He said national security must be people-centred, insisting that its core purpose is to ensure Nigerians live in peace, dignity and without fear,…

Panic gripped motorists on the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway on Saturday evening as gunmen ambushed vehicles and abducted an unspecified number of passengers near a police checkpoint. Eyewitnesses said the attack occurred around the New Spare Parts area along Owa Express, a few metres from the MOPU Junction, between 6pm and 6.30pm, during peak traffic hours. A commuter who narrowly escaped the ambush told Platform Times that the assailants suddenly blocked the road, forcing vehicles to a halt before dragging passengers into nearby bushes. “The kidnappers struck close to the police checkpoint. People abandoned their vehicles and ran for safety. It was…

A 62-year-old Lagos-based businessman, Nwabueze Nicholas Izueke, has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency for attempting to smuggle cocaine to China by ingesting the illicit substance. Izueke was intercepted on January 31, 2026, during the outward clearance of Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940 at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano. A body scan conducted on him revealed the presence of foreign objects in his system, leading to his placement under medical observation. In a statement on Sunday, the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said the suspect excreted 95 pellets of cocaine weighing…

The Kogi State Government has ordered the temporary closure of markets and motor parks across parts of Kogi West Senatorial District as part of intensified security operations against terrorists, bandits and other criminal elements. The directive was announced on Sunday by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, who said the move was taken to complement clearance operations being conducted in collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser and security agencies in the state. Fanwo said the shutdown was aimed at cutting off logistics, restricting the movement of consumables and denying criminal groups and their informants access…

The Aare of Egbaland and Balogun of Ijaye Kurumi, High Chief Gafaar Lai-Labode, has described traditional titles as platforms for selfless service, urging title holders to prioritise community development and people-oriented initiatives. Lai-Labode made this call while receiving the leadership of the Egba Youth Association, led by its National President, Hon. Adewale Adekunle, during a courtesy visit to his Kurumi residence in Abeokuta, Ogun State. He said although traditional chieftaincy comes with enormous demands on time, energy and resources, it remains the most enduring avenue for individuals who desire to leave lasting legacies in their communities. “Traditional leadership is not…

A faction of Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso’s supporters has formally proposed a joint presidential ticket pairing former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, with the ex-Kano governor for the 2027 general elections. The Kwankwaso Support Group 2027, led by Abba Gwale, said the proposed alliance is aimed at rescuing the country from insecurity, hunger, and economic hardship. Speaking on Friday in Kano, Gwale urged Nigerians to back the Obi-Kwankwaso partnership, describing it as a “historic opportunity to deliver meaningful change.” “As loyalists of Senator Kwankwaso, we have thrown our weight behind this ticket. The current political trajectory shows where the tide…

A coalition of civil society organisations in Osun State has called on President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in the state, warning that the lingering local government control dispute risks plunging the state into anarchy. The coalition, comprising the Centre for Justice Initiatives (CJI), Community Advocacy and Initiative for Local Government Development (ILGD), and Centre for Justice and Community Advocacy, Nigeria (CJCAN), said the stalemate stems from the state government’s disregard for court rulings recognizing All Progressives Congress (APC)-led local government chairmen and councillors as lawful administrators. Comrade Kanyinsola Adebayo, ILGD spokesperson, said, “All three — rule…

The Central Bank of Nigeria has raised concerns over the country’s fast-growing fintech industry’s heavy dependence on foreign funding, warning that the trend exposes startups to global economic shocks and volatile capital flows. In its 2025 Fintech Policy Insight Report released on Sunday, the apex bank disclosed that Nigerian startups raised $520m in equity funding in 2024, down from about $747m in 2019 when the country accounted for nearly 37 per cent of total startup investments across Africa. Despite the decline, the CBN said the sector has remained resilient amid global macroeconomic headwinds, including sharp interest rate hikes in advanced…