Author: Platform Times Newspaper

No fewer than dozens of residents were killed on Tuesday night when suspected terrorists stormed Woro community in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State, leaving the Emir of the town, Alhaji Saliu Bio Umar, missing and his palace in ruins. Among those killed were two wives of the monarch, several of his children, the Chief Imam of Woro, a school principal, a headmistress and pupils who had just returned home from school, residents and security sources said on Wednesday. Witnesses said the attackers, believed to be linked to a Sadiku-led Boko Haram faction with ties to Sahel-based terror networks,…

Two residents of Adamawa State who allegedly booed Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri during a political gathering in Ganye have been arraigned before a Chief Magistrate’s Court, sparking outrage among civil rights advocates and renewed debate over freedom of expression in Nigeria’s political space. The defendants were brought before Magistrate Bapetel on Monday on a two-count charge of conspiracy and disturbing public peace, following the January 28 incident in which the governor was openly jeered by supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at a rally in the town. Although the court granted them bail on Wednesday, their lawyer, Barrister Naptoye…

CSOs Warn Decision May Revive ‘Manual Miracles’, Erode Public Trust INEC Cautions Delays Could Disrupt 2027 Polls Timetable Daud Olatunji The Senate on Wednesday rejected a proposal to make the electronic transmission of election results compulsory, a move that has drawn sharp criticism from civil society groups and electoral reform advocates who say it could undermine the credibility of future polls. The amendment sought to alter Clause 60(3) of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill to remove the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) discretion over how results are transmitted. Had it passed, presiding officers would have been mandated to upload polling…

The Anambra State Police Command has arrested a 29-year-old woman, Mrs Edeh Osinachi, for allegedly torturing her 17-year-old domestic worker by pressing a hot electric iron on her body in Awka, the state capital. The police said the suspect was handed over to them on Wednesday by officials of the Anambra State Ministry of Education after school authorities raised alarm over the teenager’s severe injuries. Confirming the arrest in a statement, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said teachers noticed the burns on the girl during a school session and immediately reported the matter, prompting further investigation. “Preliminary…

The Independent National Electoral Commission has uncovered the names of deceased Nigerians on the national voters’ register, raising fresh concerns about the integrity of the country’s electoral database. INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja during the commission’s first quarterly meeting with civil society organisations, saying the discovery followed an internal audit of the register. Amupitan said the presence of dead persons’ names on the roll undermined public confidence in elections and made a comprehensive cleanup unavoidable. “Our review shows that some people who passed on long ago are still listed as eligible voters. This is…

The Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Bayo Ojulari, on Wednesday said Nigerians should be grateful for the operational Dangote Refinery, describing it as a major relief to the country’s fragile fuel supply system. Ojulari spoke at the International Energy Summit 2026 in Abuja, where he said the 650,000 barrels-per-day refinery had helped cushion the impact of supply disruptions and reduced Nigeria’s dependence on imported petroleum products. “Thank God for Dangote Refinery. Thank God. Whether you love Dangote or you hate him, Nigerians should thank God for Dangote,” he said to applause from participants. He…

The Olowu of Owu Kingdom, Oba (Prof.) Saka Adelola Matemilola,  Otileta VII, has commended the Ogun State chapter of the Freelance and Independent Broadcasters’ Association of Nigeria for conducting a peaceful and orderly leadership transition, describing the development as a model for professional bodies in the state. The monarch gave the commendation on Wednesday during a courtesy visit by the newly inaugurated Ogun FIBAN executive, led by its Chairman, Chief Olalekan Shoyinka, popularly known as Ayinla Egba, at his palace in Oke Ago-Owu, Abeokuta. Oba Matemilola praised the association for restoring unity among its members and urged the new leadership…

The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, has reassigned the money laundering trial and the civil forfeiture suit involving former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), to Justice Obiora Egwuatu. The reassignment affects both the criminal case filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the civil action seeking the forfeiture of 57 properties allegedly linked to unlawful proceeds. According to court sources, the forfeiture suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/20/2026 will now come up on February 12, while the criminal trial, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/700/2025, has been fixed for February 16. Malami, alongside his wife, Hajia Asabe Bashir,…

Former chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, on Tuesday slumped outside his office in Abuja and was rushed to a private hospital for urgent medical attention. A media aide, Emmanuel Nweke, said Maina lost his balance while attempting to access the office, fell on the staircase and hit his head before passing out. In a statement, Nweke attributed the incident to complications arising from an untreated knee injury. “The incident occurred following complications from an untreated knee injury, which caused him to lose balance and fall, resulting in his head hitting the staircase,” he said. He…

The Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, has insisted on the presentation of payment receipts before admitting Certified True Copies, CTCs, of documents in the ongoing ₦80.2 billion money laundering trial of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Adoza Bello. This was disclosed on Wednesday via the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s, EFCC, X handle. Bello is being prosecuted by the agency on a 19-count charge bordering on money laundering involving the alleged sum of ₦80,246,470,088.88. At the resumed hearing before Justice Emeka Nwite, the prosecution counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, told the court that the matter was “slated for the…