Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Engr. Michael Abayomi Adeyanju, the Director General of the Imole Progressive Network, will today be conferred with the prestigious Otunba chieftaincy title in Ayede-Ekiti, Ekiti State. The conferment ceremony, scheduled for Saturday, February 28, 2026, is expected to draw prominent traditional rulers, political figures, community leaders and associates from within and outside Ekiti State. In a statement issued ahead of the ceremony, the Secretary-General of the Imole Progressive Network, Hon. Olorunfemi Christopher Ibukun, urged coordinators and secretaries of the group across various chapters to mobilise and ensure strong participation at the event. The Otunba title is one of the highly…

The Oyo State Police Command has dismantled a suspected transnational ammunition trafficking syndicate, arresting two men and recovering 2,625 pump-action cartridges allegedly smuggled into the country from the Benin Republic. The suspects, identified as Isiaka Dare, 35, and Taiwo Ayodabo, 33, were apprehended at Budo Mosalasi area of Saki during a coordinated intelligence-driven operation by operatives of the Command Monitoring Unit, Saki Operation Base. The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka, disclosed the development in a statement on Friday, describing the operation as a major breakthrough in the command’s ongoing crackdown on the proliferation of illegal arms and ammunition…

Former Minister of Defence, Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, on Saturday met with Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, in what was described as a courtesy visit. The meeting, which took place at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, was disclosed in a brief statement by the President’s Special Assistant on Social Media, Dada Olusegun. “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu receives in audience, General T.Y. Danjuma on a courtesy visit at the State House, Abuja,” the presidential aide wrote on X. Details of the discussions were not made public as of the time of filing this report. However, the visit comes against…

A female officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has died after she was accidentally run over by an operational vehicle during a “show of force” exercise in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The tragic incident, which occurred on Saturday, was captured in a 58-second video that has since gone viral on social media. The exercise involved the Corps’ Female Strike Force, also known as the Female Squad. In the footage, a black operational van with red wheels bearing the inscription “Female Squad” was seen moving in formation, with another van marked “Female Strike Force FCT Command” trailing…

…Praises FX Stability, Security Gains … Targets APC Governorship Ticket A former senator and daughter of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, Prof. Iyabo Obasanjo, has declared that she is prepared to succeed Governor Dapo Abiodun in 2027, insisting she will not step down for any aspirant in the race for the Ogun State governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress. Obasanjo made this known on Saturday during a media parley held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta, where she also applauded the economic reforms of President Bola Tinubu, describing them as critical steps toward stabilising the nation’s economy. The former Ogun…

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has uncovered a sophisticated syndicate allegedly deploying artificial intelligence tools to compromise the registration process for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination. The Registrar of JAMB, Ishaq Oloyede, disclosed this on Saturday at a press conference in Abuja, revealing that several suspects linked to the network had been arrested and were currently under investigation. Oloyede said the syndicate specialised in manipulating the registration system to favour candidates, particularly underage applicants, many of whom were allegedly pushed by their parents beyond their academic readiness. According to him, about 38,000 underage candidates have registered for the…

Osun Assembly Speaker, 24 PDP Lawmakers Dump Party for AccordThe Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, alongside 24 lawmakers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has officially defected to the Accord Party. The announcement was made on Friday in Osogbo by the Speaker’s spokesperson, Olamide Tiamiyu, following a parliamentary meeting where the decision was finalised. The Osun Assembly has 26 members in total, 25 from the PDP and one from the All Progressives Congress (APC). According to Mr. Tiamiyu, the defecting lawmakers resigned from the PDP weeks ago after extensive consultations with supporters, political allies, and…

The Lagos State Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget has dismissed claims that N4.2 billion was set aside in the 2026 budget solely for the purchase of office furniture and microphones for the Office of the Deputy Governor. In a statement released on Friday, the ministry explained that the N4,247,816,006 earmarked for the office represents the total capital allocation for the 2026 fiscal year, not expenditure on office fittings as widely reported. “The total capital allocation for the Office of the Deputy Governor for 2026 is N4,247,816,006. This figure has been incorrectly portrayed as being meant only for office furniture…

At least 10 health workers, including five doctors, have died amid a recent surge of Lassa fever cases in Benue State, raising fresh alarm over the safety of frontline medical personnel. The state epidemiologist, Asema Msuega, disclosed that 250 suspected cases of Lassa fever have been reported in the state, with 45 confirmed infections. The fatalities were confirmed in a report aired on African Independent Television (AIT) on Friday. Msuega expressed concern over the high infection rate among health workers, suggesting possible human-to-human transmission. He attributed the trend to lapses in infection prevention and control protocols within healthcare facilities. In…

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has accused governors defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC) of prioritising “personal survival” over ideology, describing the wave of cross-carpeting as a product of intimidation rather than genuine support for the ruling party. Reacting to the defection of Ahmadu Fintiri from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC, Atiku, who is now a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), said politicians have the right to choose their political platform, but warned Nigerians against equating defections with popularity. In a statement issued on Friday by his media aide, Paul Ibe, Atiku described recent political…