Author: Platform Times Newspaper

A dramatic confrontation between operatives of the Ondo State Police Command and the Amotekun Corps on Sunday disrupted peace in the Alagbaka area of Akure, Ondo State, as both security outfits clashed over the custody of a suspect linked to motorcycle theft. The fracas, which sent panic through the neighbourhood, involved sporadic gunshots as both agencies sought control of a suspect identified as Tosin Adebisi, alleged to have been terrorising residents in the Powerline area of Ijoka, Akure. Trouble began after operatives of the Amotekun Corps arrested the suspect following a complaint by Rev. Bola Ariyo of Living Word Missionary…

A tragic accident has claimed the lives of four Catholic seminarians and left nine others injured at the Obudu Ranch Resort in Cross River State. The incident occurred on Saturday at the Ikwette community, located at the base of the Obudu Ranch hill. Preliminary investigations indicate that the accident, involving a vehicle carrying thirteen seminarians, was likely caused by brake failure. According to a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Bassey Otu, Mr Nsa Gill, the seminarians were on a tour of the resort and were being led by a Reverend Father when the crash happened. “They had…

Motorcycle riders operating within Abeokuta South Local Government Area of Ogun State have raised the alarm over what they described as systemic extortion by individuals allegedly empowered by the local government to collect questionable levies. The riders, popularly known as okada operators, claimed that they are being compelled to pay between ₦7,000 and ₦15,000 under the pretext of documentation and clearance, without any official receipts or transparent process to justify the fees. Their complaints echo recent unrest in the sector, as Northern riders in the state had earlier protested and embarked on strike action over similar allegations. The tension had…

Former Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, has debunked reports alleging his arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), describing them as false and mischievous. Kyari, in a statement , said he had received a barrage of calls from family, friends, and associates following an online report claiming he was in EFCC custody. He categorically denied the claim, stating that he is currently on a well-deserved rest after over three decades of service at the national oil company. “Over the past few days, and especially in the last two hours,…

Inmates at the Jos Custodial Centre in Plateau State have cried out over what they describe as inhumane conditions, alleging gross neglect, malnutrition, absence of medical care, and a climate of brutality within the prison walls. According to disturbing revelations , the inmates lamented being fed watery beans devoid of nutritional value, with no meat or fish served for over a year. “Since last year, no meat, no fish. Just watery beans and other terrible food,” one inmate said, describing the meals as “unfit for human consumption.” Photographs shared by the inmates show visibly unappetising and nutritionally deficient meals, sparking…

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted a cache of 942 explosive devices along the Kaduna-Zaria expressway, en route to Zamfara State. According to a statement issued on Sunday by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the explosives were recovered on Saturday, May 3, during a routine stop-and-search operation on a commercial vehicle traveling from Nasarawa State to Zamfara. A 30-year-old suspect identified as Nura Sani Muhammad, also known as Nura Hariji, was apprehended in connection with the consignment. The dangerous materials were reportedly concealed in a sack, raising suspicions about the intended…

Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has vowed to institute legal proceedings against media organisations, particularly radio stations, that continue to air what he described as baseless and defamatory statements targeting his administration and political allies. The governor issued the warning on Sunday during the maiden meeting between his administration and 444 ward councillors in the state, expressing displeasure over recent media content that he said falsely portrayed his government in a bad light. Yusuf’s reaction follows a viral video in which the immediate past Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr. Abdullahi Baffa Bichi, alleged that he was removed…

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has confiscated illicit drugs valued at over N3.4 billion in a series of operations across Lagos, Rivers, Kano and several other states, in what officials described as a coordinated effort to dismantle drug trafficking networks nationwide. A statement by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday, revealed that the seizures included over 3.5 million pills of opioids and 163,000 bottles of codeine syrup. The largest bust occurred at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex in Onne, Rivers State, where NDLEA operatives, working jointly with the Nigeria Customs Service and other…

A group of former state chairmen under the defunct Congress for Progressives’ Change (CPC), one of the legacy parties that merged to form the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has expressed deep concerns over what it described as the marginalisation of CPC elements within the APC-led government. The forum, in a public statement issued in Abuja, lamented the internal divisions plaguing the CPC bloc and warned that the proliferation of voices claiming to speak for the bloc only underscores a lack of coherent leadership and inclusiveness within the party. “We, members of the Forum of State Chairmen of the defunct…

Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Alhaji Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, is billed to deliver the keynote lecture at the 2025 National Reunion Conference of the Obafemi Awolowo University Muslim Graduates’ Association (UNIFEMGA), slated for Saturday, May 10, 2025. Themed “Cross Border Trade and Security Implications on the Nigerian Economy: Taking Advantage of Global Trade Dynamics,” the lecture will hold at the historic Oduduwa Hall, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State. According to a joint statement by the Chairman of the Planning Committee, Prof. Sirajudeen Obayopo, and the association’s Public Relations Officer, Ibrahim Fagbenro, the event is expected to…