Author: Platform Times Newspaper

No fewer than 100 worshippers and residents were narrowly spared death on Monday after soldiers evacuated a suspected explosive device discovered within the premises of a church in Aba, Abia State. The object was reportedly unearthed at the United Evangelical Church, Ehere/Umuola, Ogbor Hill, during excavation works for a new perimeter fence, following the state government’s ongoing road expansion project in the area. Eyewitnesses said church members had been digging around the parsonage when they stumbled on a large metallic object. One of them was said to have carried it towards a nearby borehole before the presiding priest raised an…

The National Industrial Court in Abuja on Monday restrained the Nigerian Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress from embarking on a planned mass protest against the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and the FCT Administration. Justice Emmanuel Sibilim issued the interim order following an ex parte application filed by the FCT minister and the FCTA, seeking to stop the unions and their leaders from proceeding with the protest scheduled for Tuesday or any other day pending the hearing of a motion on notice. The suit, marked NICN/ABJ/30/26, was filed by James Onoja, SAN, on behalf of…

A Sharia Court sitting in Katagum, Bauchi State, on Monday sentenced Ibrahim Umar, popularly known as Maidada, to life imprisonment for the brutal killing of two men whose bodies he secretly buried in a forest grave. The convict was found guilty of murdering Kabiru Idi and Muhammad Bello in Taranka Forest, where he reportedly dug a pit and concealed their remains after the crime. Prosecuting counsel, Barrister Muhammad Ali, told the court that Umar admitted the offences at the outset of the trial and accepted the court’s judgment without contest. Speaking with journalists after the ruling, defence counsel, Barrister Ibrahim…

Former Chief of Staff to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, has said the existence of cabals is inevitable in every government, stressing that no leader operates without an inner circle of trusted aides. Gambari made the disclosure during an interview on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme monitored on Monday, while reflecting on the legacy of the Buhari administration. He explained that presidents are largely shaped by the quality of people around them, noting that some advisers choose to tell leaders only what they want to hear, rather than what they need to know. “A president can only be…

Residents of Umuodu village, Okpuno, in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State were thrown into shock on Sunday after a newborn baby was found abandoned inside a bag at a roadside shop. The baby was discovered by a nurse, Mrs Mercy Iloanya, when she arrived at her shop along Pope John Paul Seminary School Street. According to her, she noticed a tote bag placed suspiciously in front of the shop and alerted a passer-by, who confirmed that the baby was alive. “I was shocked when I opened the bag and saw a newborn baby inside,” Iloanya said. “We…

A daughter of the late Head of State, Gen. Murtala Ramat Muhammed, has said her father’s trademark simplicity and aversion to heavy security arrangements exposed him to the assassination that cut short his rule in 1976. Speaking at a public event, Aisha Muhammed said the former military leader deliberately shunned elaborate convoys and layers of protection, preferring to move freely among ordinary Nigerians — a choice that, she noted, made him vulnerable during the coup attempt that claimed his life. According to her, Muhammed often drove through regular traffic without escorts, guided by a deep sense of humility, courage and…

Surveyors in Ogun State are restructuring their businesses by converting from sole proprietorships to limited liability companies in preparation for Nigeria’s revised tax regime expected to take full effect in 2026. The Chairman of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors, Ogun State branch, Surv. Abiodun Olufemi Liadi, said the move was aimed at ensuring compliance with company income tax obligations and positioning surveying firms for sustainable growth. Liadi said most members had already completed the transition ahead of the statutory deadline for corporate tax filings, adding that the institution had intensified enlightenment programmes to prepare practitioners for the reforms. “We have…

The Muslim Community of Lagos State (MCLS) has declared that it will not support any political party that fields a non-Muslim candidate for the 2027 governorship election, citing what it described as persistent marginalisation of Muslims in governance and public appointments. The position was adopted at the community’s maiden General Assembly held on Saturday at the Lagos State Secretariat Mosque Hall, Alausa, Ikeja, where over 1,000 Muslims from across the state’s divisions and local government areas converged to deliberate on political inclusion, education, and religious rights. In a communique issued at the end of the four-hour meeting, the assembly said…

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has announced that persons with disabilities will receive free application forms for the 2026/2027 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, in a move aimed at widening access to higher education. The decision was disclosed in the Board’s weekly bulletin and further confirmed by the Registrar, Prof Ishaq Oloyede, during a stakeholders’ meeting at JAMB’s headquarters in Abuja. According to Oloyede, the initiative will be implemented through the JAMB Equal Opportunity Group and targets eligible candidates with special needs, including those living with Down Syndrome, autism, dyslexia and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. He said the policy underscores…

Peter Obi has formally declared his intention to contest Nigeria’s 2027 presidential election on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), dismissing speculation that he could settle for a vice-presidential ticket. Speaking at a campaign rally for ADC candidates in the Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections at the Abuja Municipal Area Council on Monday, Obi told supporters that he was entering the race as a front-line contender and not in a subordinate capacity. “This coming election, support us in AMAC; it will help me. Your support in AMAC is critical to our journey. I am involved and contesting…