Author: Platform Times Newspaper

A seven-year-old girl has been hospitalised in Bauchi State after her brother’s wife allegedly burnt her private part with a hot knife in a brutal assault linked to witchcraft accusations. The victim, identified only as Habiba (not real name), was attacked by her sister-in-law, Suwaira Ibrahim, in Magama Gumau, Toro Local Government Area, after being accused of belonging to a group of “witches.” According to community activist Kabiru Mohammed Abdulkadir, trouble began when Suwaira’s child claimed to have seen the little girl among witches during the night. Acting on the suspicion, the suspect reportedly took the victim to a self-styled…

The Kwara State government has relocated the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) permanent orientation camp in Yikpata, Edu Local Government Area, to Ilorin following a wave of bandit attacks in the state. The State Coordinator of NYSC, Mr. Joshua Onifade, announced the development on Thursday while addressing journalists in Ilorin. He said the new temporary venue for the camp would be at the Kwara State Polytechnic campus along Old Jebba Road, Ilorin. Onifade explained that the decision was informed by security threats around the Yikpata camp, stressing that the safety of corps members remained a top priority. “The NYSC management…

Outrage has erupted in Sagamu after Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, allegedly ordered the suspension of an ongoing federal road project facilitated by former governor and serving senator, Otunba Gbenga Daniel. The project — the Paddy-Arikawe Oye Igbimo Road reconstruction — was approved by President Bola Tinubu through the Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA) and awarded to Minim and Tonye Nigeria Limited. Work had commenced before the intervention of the state government. This latest clash between Abiodun and Daniel has been attributed to the political hostility between the duo over 2027 Senatorial ticket if Ogun East . PLATFORM TIMES gathered…

A General Court Martial sitting at Maxwell Khobe Cantonment, Jos, Plateau State, on Thursday sentenced a Nigerian soldier, Private Lukman Musa, to death by hanging for the murder of a commercial tricycle operator in Azare, Bauchi State. The court, presided over by Brigadier General Liafis Bello, found Musa guilty of culpable homicide and unlawful possession of ammunition following a trial that gripped national attention. According to the prosecution, Musa conspired with an accomplice, identified as Mr. Oba, to lure the unsuspecting tricycle rider, Mr. Abdulrahman Isa, to his residence under the pretense of helping him move personal belongings. Once inside,…

The Federal Government has ordered all mining and quarrying companies operating in Nigeria to conclude their Community Development Agreements (CDAs) with host communities by December 31, 2025, or risk stiff sanctions, including licence revocation. The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, issued the directive in Abuja on Thursday through a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, following a compliance review by the Mines Environmental Compliance Department (MEC). Alake expressed concern over the widening gap between mineral titles issued and the number of CDAs signed, describing the situation as “alarming and unacceptable.” He revealed that while 74…

The 2025 edition of the Creative Economy Week has ignited conversations around youth empowerment and economic growth as government officials, industry leaders, and development partners converged in Enugu to spotlight the country’s booming creative sector. Organised by the British Council in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism, and the Creative Economy (FMACTCE), the event brought together policymakers, innovators, and young creatives to explore opportunities in film, music, fashion, performing and visual arts. The Enugu gathering formed part of a week-long series of activities across Nigeria—stretching to Port Harcourt, Kano, Lagos, Abuja, and even London—designed to highlight the…

The Convener of the United Premier Movement (UPM) in Abeokuta,Chief Olalekan  Shoyinka, popularly known as Ayinla Egba, has urged the Ogun State Government to complement its latest announcement of statewide road repairs with transparency, accountability, and measurable delivery. Shoyinka,  commended Governor Dapo Abiodun for what he described as a proactive attempt to tackle Ogun’s reputation as the “state with the poorest roads in Nigeria.” While applauding the government’s decision to mobilise road maintenance teams across all 20 local government areas, Shoyinka insisted that residents were no longer swayed by promises and press statements but wanted to see visible evidence of…

Renowned global ambassador and Artificial Intelligence expert, Nnenna Nwankama, has urged Nigerians, especially the younger generation, to place values and integrity above profit and power in building enduring institutions. Nwankama, a Babcock University alumna and former student of the Adventist Seminary of West Africa (ASWA), delivered this charge on Thursday while speaking at the university’s Founder’s Day lecture themed “Legacy and Leadership Excellence: Building Enduring Institutions in Times of Change.” Addressing a full house at the university’s 2,500-capacity Amphitheatre, the tech leader decried what she described as a “crisis of values” confronting global institutions. “Brilliance without character is celebrated, intelligence…

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh, has called for stronger and more reliable data systems to combat the rising cases of femicide across Nigeria. Jimoh, who spoke on Thursday at the presentation of a study titled “Measuring Femicide in Lagos State: Data, Advocacy and Action” in Ikeja, described femicide—the intentional killing of women and girls because of their gender—as one of the most extreme forms of gender-based violence (GBV). The police chief lamented that Nigeria’s fight against femicide was being undermined by poor record-keeping, weak forensic investigations, and low prosecution rates. “These gaps have hindered efforts to fully…

The Oyo State Police Command has arrested an Islamic cleric, identified as Alfa Bashiru, after he was allegedly caught with suspected human flesh along the Ibadan Expressway. The Command’s spokesperson, CSP Adewale Osifeso, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, noting that the cleric was intercepted on Wednesday at about 11:30 a.m. by operatives of the Federal Highway Patrol at the Toll Gate axis. According to Osifeso, Bashiru was travelling in a white bus with registration number XA 551 IRG when the suspicious substance was discovered in his possession. “The suspect claimed during interrogation that he bought the item in…