Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The Chief Executive Officer of Wardiere Oakmount, Kunle Ilori-Diamond, has thrown his weight behind the proposed low-cost housing scheme for officers of the Nigeria Police Force, describing it as a timely and strategic move capable of improving policing and strengthening national security. He said this while speaking on the TVC flagship programme, Breakfast show recently. Ilori-Diamond said his support for the initiative became imperative after he read in national dailies that the Police boss spoke in support of a housing plan for his officers coupled with his observation of the listening attribute of the current government. According to him, housing…

A shocking domestic incident reportedly unfolded in Potiskum, Yobe State, when an 18-year-old housewife allegedly cut off her husband’s manhood in the early hours of Thursday, February 6. The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Dungus Abdulkarim, confirmed the disturbing attack in a statement on Saturday in Damaturu. He said the crime was reported to the Potiskum Divisional Police Station around 3 p.m., nearly 14 hours after it allegedly occurred at about 1 a.m. According to SP Abdulkarim, the suspect used a sharp knife to mutilate her husband before fleeing the scene. “Police operatives promptly visited the location…

Thousands of illegal gold miners have been repeatedly  dislodged from designated sites in Yauri Local Government Area, Kebbi State, following a large-scale federal operation. The operation, led by Mining Marshals under the Presidential Artisanal Gold Mining Initiative (PAGMI), was carried out in coordination with the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigerian Army, and the Nigeria Police Force. Officials said the crackdown targeted mining sites that had long been occupied by unregulated operators deploying heavy machinery, explosives, and practices that caused extensive environmental degradation and heightened insecurity. Residents described the illegal mining surge as a slow-burning crisis. A community leader…

A Lagos State High Court has sentenced Okpara Onyekachi to life imprisonment for the death of a Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) officer in a road crash, describing the ruling as a landmark victory for justice and road safety enforcement in Nigeria. The judgment, delivered at the TBS Division under suit number LD/24692C/2024, followed the November 16, 2023, incident at Orile-Iganmu, Lagos, where Deputy Chief Road Marshal Assistant Ajomale was killed while performing his official duties. Investigations revealed that Onyekachi, driving a 40-foot container-laden truck at excessive speed, rammed into a stationary mini truck that had been stopped for inspection.…

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has defended the National Assembly’s decision to remove the mandatory electronic transmission of election results from the amended Electoral Act, citing poor network coverage and insecurity in parts of the country as major hurdles. Speaking on Sunday in Abuja during the launch of former senator Effiong Bob’s book, The Burdens of Legislators in Nigeria, Akpabio dismissed criticisms of the Senate’s move, arguing that the responsibility for election technology lies solely with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Last week, the Senate expunged the clause mandating real-time electronic transmission of results, a decision that sparked backlash from…

Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, has warned that the growing politicisation of Nigeria’s security and justice institutions is eroding public trust and threatening the foundations of democracy. In a statement titled “National Security, Justice, and the People’s Wellbeing: Reclaiming the Purpose of Power” released on Sunday, El-Rufai said the country was drifting from genuine national security to what he described as “regime security,” where state institutions are deployed to protect political incumbents rather than citizens. He said national security must be people-centred, insisting that its core purpose is to ensure Nigerians live in peace, dignity and without fear,…

Panic gripped motorists on the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway on Saturday evening as gunmen ambushed vehicles and abducted an unspecified number of passengers near a police checkpoint. Eyewitnesses said the attack occurred around the New Spare Parts area along Owa Express, a few metres from the MOPU Junction, between 6pm and 6.30pm, during peak traffic hours. A commuter who narrowly escaped the ambush told Platform Times that the assailants suddenly blocked the road, forcing vehicles to a halt before dragging passengers into nearby bushes. “The kidnappers struck close to the police checkpoint. People abandoned their vehicles and ran for safety. It was…

A 62-year-old Lagos-based businessman, Nwabueze Nicholas Izueke, has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency for attempting to smuggle cocaine to China by ingesting the illicit substance. Izueke was intercepted on January 31, 2026, during the outward clearance of Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940 at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano. A body scan conducted on him revealed the presence of foreign objects in his system, leading to his placement under medical observation. In a statement on Sunday, the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, said the suspect excreted 95 pellets of cocaine weighing…

The Kogi State Government has ordered the temporary closure of markets and motor parks across parts of Kogi West Senatorial District as part of intensified security operations against terrorists, bandits and other criminal elements. The directive was announced on Sunday by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, who said the move was taken to complement clearance operations being conducted in collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser and security agencies in the state. Fanwo said the shutdown was aimed at cutting off logistics, restricting the movement of consumables and denying criminal groups and their informants access…

The Aare of Egbaland and Balogun of Ijaye Kurumi, High Chief Gafaar Lai-Labode, has described traditional titles as platforms for selfless service, urging title holders to prioritise community development and people-oriented initiatives. Lai-Labode made this call while receiving the leadership of the Egba Youth Association, led by its National President, Hon. Adewale Adekunle, during a courtesy visit to his Kurumi residence in Abeokuta, Ogun State. He said although traditional chieftaincy comes with enormous demands on time, energy and resources, it remains the most enduring avenue for individuals who desire to leave lasting legacies in their communities. “Traditional leadership is not…