Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Tension erupted in Tarabu village, Kirikasamma Local Government Area of Jigawa State on Wednesday when angry youths attacked dignitaries during the flag-off of a 23.4-kilometre road project linking Tarabu to Gafta. Governor Umar Namadi Danmodi, who led the ceremony, reportedly escaped unhurt alongside several top politicians after the event turned violent. Among those who narrowly avoided harm were Hon. Abubakar Fulata, member representing Guri/Kirikasamma/Birniwa Federal Constituency, and Alhaji Muhammad Maji, Chairman of Kirikasamma Local Government Area. Witnesses said  that the attack began moments after the governor had performed the groundbreaking ceremony. Dozens of irate youths began pelting stones and other…

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has confirmed that no fewer than 172 people have died from Lassa fever across 21 states of the federation so far in 2025. In its latest situation report released on Tuesday, the NCDC revealed that 924 confirmed cases of the viral disease were recorded as of epidemiological week 40, covering 106 Local Government Areas nationwide. The agency noted that the current case fatality rate (CFR) stands at 18.6 per cent, representing an increase from 17 per cent recorded within the same period in 2024 — a sign that the disease’s spread…

Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have abducted three officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and three other passengers travelling to Anambra State ahead of the November 8 governorship election. The victims were reportedly ambushed on Tuesday afternoon around Aloma, a community in Kogi State bordering Benue, while on their way from Abuja to Awka, Anambra’s capital. PLATFORM TIMES gathered that the abducted INEC officials — identified as Chinenye Orji, Adamaka Anih, and Catherine Temaugee — were on official duty to print voters’ registers and other sensitive election materials for the upcoming poll. A survivor, who drove the Sienna…

Pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has kicked against the ongoing constitutional amendment process by the Federal Government, describing it as “cosmetic, unrealistic, and self-serving.” The group accused political elites of pushing for the creation of 46 new states to expand their access to public funds and security votes rather than to improve governance or strengthen the federation. Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday, Afenifere’s Director of Research, Dr. Akin Fapohunda, said the current amendment effort — which seeks to alter more than 70 sections and 83 clauses of the 1999 Constitution — is “headed for failure.” “They want…

The Sultan of Sokoto and Chairman of the Northern Traditional Rulers Council, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has dismissed claims of genocide against any religious or ethnic group in Nigeria, saying such allegations are baseless and unsupported by facts. Speaking at the opening of the Northern Traditional Rulers Assembly Meeting in Birnin Kebbi, the monarch declared that there has been no record of genocide against Christians, Muslims, or any other group in the country. “There is no way someone, whether a Muslim or a Christian, can be killed without the knowledge of the traditional rulers of the community where such…

The detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, on Tuesday, made a dramatic move in his long-running trial as he formally announced his decision to open his defence — listing several prominent Nigerian political and military figures as witnesses. The development came just hours after activist and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Omoyele Sowore, led protests across parts of Abuja demanding Kanu’s release from detention. In a fresh motion personally filed before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, Kanu said he was ready to begin his defence pursuant…

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has suspended its two-week warning strike after what it described as “useful engagements” with the Federal Government on the long-standing 2009 FGN-ASUU agreement. The union’s National Executive Council (NEC) took the decision after a marathon meeting that lasted through the night and ended at about 4:00 a.m. on Wednesday. Addressing journalists shortly after the meeting, ASUU President, Dr. Chris Piwuna, said the suspension was a gesture of goodwill and in recognition of efforts made by “well-meaning Nigerians” — including students, parents, and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) — to resolve the crisis. “We…

Daud Olatunji,  A globally recognized researcher and Babcock University scholar, Dr. Adetayo Adebowale, has urged the Nigerian government and private sector to invest deliberately in research and technological infrastructure, saying the nation has all it takes to become a global technology powerhouse. Dr. Adebowale, who was recently named among the world’s top 2% of scientists by Stanford University and Elsevier for the second consecutive year, said Nigeria’s youthful population, growing internet penetration, and innovative startups offer a fertile foundation for a tech-driven economy—if properly harnessed through research and innovation. “Any nation aspiring to make a global impact must be ready…

Daud Olatunji A magistrate court sitting in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, has ordered the remand of Bishop Sam Onyeagoziri Ndubueze, the presiding cleric of Champion Cathedral Church, over allegations of sexual misconduct, extortion, and the circulation of pornographic materials. Bishop Ndubueze was arraigned on a four-count charge bordering on unlawful carnal knowledge, threats, fraud, and cybercrime, in violation of the Ebonyi State Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law (2018, amended 2024), the Criminal Code, and the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act of 2015. The accused was said to have engaged in an unlawful sexual relationship with a young woman (name withheld) in…

The United Kingdom’s Charity Commission has frozen more than 100 bank accounts linked to the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM) International, founded by Nigerian cleric Dr. Daniel Olukoya, over alleged financial mismanagement and lack of transparency. In a detailed report released on Monday, the UK regulator said it launched a statutory inquiry after “serious financial concerns” were uncovered in the operations of MFM’s charity arm in the country. According to the Commission, the investigation revealed that trustees of the church’s UK branch failed to maintain effective oversight and control of the church’s sprawling financial operations. “Many of the…