Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has said the 44 pupils and teachers rescued from kidnappers after spending 56 days in captivity will remain under medical observation for 48 hours before being handed over to the state government for rehabilitation. Makinde disclosed this on Saturday after visiting the rescued victims at the Headquarters of the 2 Division Nigerian Army Medical Services, Odogbo Barracks, Ibadan, where they are receiving medical treatment following their rescue. The governor described the successful operation as a moment of relief and gratitude for the state, while commending the Nigerian Army and other security agencies for securing…

The Nigerian Army has disclosed that troops and other security agencies tracked the kidnappers of pupils and teachers abducted from schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State for more than one month before securing their freedom in a coordinated rescue operation. The Army said the victims, who spent 56 days in captivity, regained their freedom on Friday after sustained intelligence gathering and coordinated operations targeted at dismantling the kidnappers’ network. The Acting Deputy Director, 2 Division Army Public Relations, Lt. Col. Danjuma Danjuma, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday. According to him, the operation was led by…

No fewer than 44 medical graduates of the University of Ilorin have remained unable to begin their compulsory housemanship nearly one year after completing their studies following a quota dispute over their induction, raising fears that dozens of current final-year medical students may suffer a similar fate. PLATFORM TIMES gathered that the affected graduates, who spent eight years studying medicine due to disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and prolonged strikes by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, successfully completed their final MBBS examinations in August 2025. However, while 150 of their colleagues were inducted by the Medical and Dental…

Award-winning Nigerian actress and filmmaker, Funke Akindele, has revealed how she took on several menial jobs, including making artificial nails, selling cakes and bed space, to support herself while studying at the University of Lagos. The 48-year-old actress shared her experience during a recent interview, describing her university years as a period of relentless struggle that shaped her resilience and work ethic. Akindele recalled that she taught herself nail-making by observing professionals in Yaba before offering the service to fellow students on campus. According to her, one of her earliest customers was dissatisfied with her work and slapped her because…

Headline: Four Family Members Escape ISWAP Enclave, Surrender To Troops In Borno By PLATFORM TIMES Four family members who fled an enclave controlled by the Islamic State West Africa Province have surrendered to troops of Operation HADIN KAI in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State. The individuals, comprising two women, a teenage boy and a 10-month-old baby, reportedly escaped from the Kunde terrorist enclave in the Mandara Mountains before turning themselves in to troops of C Company, 192 Battalion (Mechanised), at about 8:30 a.m. on Friday. Counter-insurgency expert, Zagazola Makama, disclosed the development, identifying the family members as Hauwa…

Boko Haram and its splinter faction, the Islamic State West Africa Province, have reportedly exploited artificial intelligence tools to improve bomb-making techniques, refine battlefield strategies and strengthen operational planning, according to a report by The New York Times. The report, which cited interviews conducted by terrorism and technology researcher Antonia Juelich of the University of Cambridge, revealed that former commanders of the insurgent groups admitted using multiple AI-powered chatbots, including ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok and DeepSeek, to obtain technical guidance. According to the report, one of the former Boko Haram commanders recounted how the group turned to AI after a…

The Ijebu Traditional Council on Friday endorsed the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Ogun State, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as YAYI, ahead of the 2027 governorship election. The endorsement came during a consultative visit by the senator to the council at the palace of the late Awujale of Ijebuland in Ijebu-Ode. Adeola, accompanied by Governor Dapo Abiodun and top leaders of the APC in the state, met with members of the council to seek the support and blessings of the traditional rulers as preparations begin for the 2027 governorship race. Speaking at the meeting, Abiodun…

The Council of Fulani Chiefs in the South-West has commended President Bola Tinubu, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and security agencies for the successful rescue of schoolchildren and their teachers abducted in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State. The council described the operation as a major breakthrough in the fight against insecurity, saying it demonstrated the professionalism, resilience and effective coordination of Nigeria’s security agencies. In a statement issued on Friday by its Media Office, the council, led by its Chairman and Sarki Fulani of Lagos, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar Bambado II, expressed delight that the victims regained their freedom…

The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights has commended security agencies and the governments of the federation for the successful rescue of abducted teachers and pupils in Oyo State, describing the operation as a major breakthrough in the fight against kidnapping and violent extremism. The rights group, however, warned that the country’s worsening insecurity requires sustained and coordinated action beyond isolated rescue operations, calling for a nationwide offensive against kidnappers, bandits, terrorists and other criminal elements. In a statement issued on Thursday and signed by its National President, Comrade Yinka Folarin, and National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Adewunmi Adesina, the…

…Move Ends Speculation Over Vice-President’s Place On Ruling Party’s Ticket ….APC Stakeholders Rally Behind President As Re-election Campaign Begins Daud Olatunji President Bola Tinubu has formally kicked off his re-election campaign for the 2027 presidential election after submitting his All Progressives Congress nomination forms and retaining Vice-President Kashim Shettima as his running mate. The development ended weeks of speculation over the composition of the APC presidential ticket ahead of the next general election. Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Political Affairs, Ibrahim Masari, submitted the nomination forms on behalf of the President and Shettima during a ceremony held on Friday at the…