Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Daud Olatunji First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has appealed to Afrobeats stars David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, Damini Ogulu (Burna Boy) and Ahmed Ololade (Asake), to use their wealth to support vulnerable Nigerians struggling with the country’s economic hardship. Mrs Tinubu made the appeal on Saturday while inspecting the National Community Food Bank project for the North-Central zone in Lokoja, Kogi State. She said although the entertainers had earned the right to enjoy the fruits of their labour, they should also establish charitable foundations to empower the less privileged and support small-scale entrepreneurs. According to her, the economic challenges…

The Independent National Electoral Commission has extended the deadline for political parties to submit the names and personal particulars of their candidates for the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections. The commission announced on Sunday that the deadline, initially fixed for Saturday, July 11, has been extended by three days to midnight on Tuesday, July 14, 2026. INEC disclosed this in a statement signed by its National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna. The electoral umpire said the decision followed an appeal by the Inter-Party Advisory Council, which sought more time on behalf…

Parents of the schoolchildren and teachers rescued after spending 56 days in captivity in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State have expressed joy and relief, saying they cannot wait to reunite with their loved ones. The victims, abducted on May 15 by suspected terrorists linked to Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (Ansaru), regained their freedom on Friday following a coordinated security operation. Governor Seyi Makinde said the rescued victims would remain under medical observation for 48 hours before being formally handed over to the Oyo State Government on Monday for rehabilitation and reunification with their families. Speaking during a…

Suspected kidnappers have abducted nine mourners, including two officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps, after attacking a funeral convoy conveying the remains of a late Deputy Corps Commander of the FRSC, Augustine O. Ikwue, along the Ochadamu-Ejule Road in Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State. The attackers were also said to have temporarily taken away the deceased officer’s corpse during the Thursday evening ambush before abandoning it in Ejule community. The assailants have reportedly contacted the family of the deceased, demanding a ransom of N450 million for the release of those abducted. The late Ikwue was said to…

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…