Author: Platform Times Newspaper

A chieftain of The Alternative, Otunba Segun Showunmi, has declared that Nigeria’s anti-corruption drive is not targeted at opposition figures, warning that attempts to portray investigation of public officials as political persecution pose a greater threat to democracy than the probes themselves. Showunmi, in a strongly worded statement on Monday, said Nigeria’s democracy was endangered not by lawful investigations but by what he described as a growing effort by political actors to weaponise opposition status as immunity from the law. “Opposition is not a licence to steal, and it is not a shield against accountability,” he said. He stressed that…

The Management of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY), Abeokuta, has announced plans to honour outstanding alumni of its Department of Mass Communication following their stellar performances at the 2025 Nigerian Media Merit Awards (NMMA) and the 2025 Diamond Awards for Media Excellence (DAME). The decision was taken after a formal briefing by the Head of the Department of Mass Communication, Dr Wasiu Tejuoso, who presented details of the alumni’s achievements to the Rector, Arc. Dr Babatunde Adekoyejo Jolaoso. According to the Polytechnic, the award-winning journalists have once again showcased MAPOLY’s pedigree as a foremost training ground for media and communication professionals,…

The Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal has cleared businessman Hilary Ogbobe of all charges, overturning his 10-year jail sentence for alleged fraud and stealing. The appellate court ruled that the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt. Delivering the unanimous judgment on November 27, 2025, Justice Joseph Ekanem, with Justices Paul Bassi and Polycarp Kwahar concurring, allowed Ogbobe’s appeal against the May 2, 2023 judgment of the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja. Ogbobe had been convicted by Justice Morenike Dada for obtaining money under false pretence, under the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related…

…Shields Tenants From Harassment, Eviction The Lagos State Government has moved to clamp down on rising cases of forceful evictions and landlord harassment with the proposed Lagos State Tenancy and Recovery of Premises Bill 2025, which makes court orders compulsory before any tenant can be lawfully ejected. Under the draft legislation, landlords who take the law into their hands by forcefully evicting tenants or engaging in self-help measures such as disconnecting electricity or water supply, removing roofs, locking apartments or using thugs risk severe punishment, including a fine of not less than ₦1m or a jail term of up to…

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau has opened a formal investigation into the crash-landing of a Flybird Aircraft Management Services Limited jet at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano State. The affected aircraft, a Hawker 800XP with registration number 5N-ISB, was en route from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, when the incident occurred on Sunday morning. PLATFORM TIMES gathered that the aircraft departed Abuja at about 9:20am and developed a landing gear indication problem while approaching Kano, forcing the flight crew to alert air traffic controllers. Confirming the incident in a statement on Sunday, the Director of Public Affairs…

An Oyo State customary court sitting at Mapo, Ibadan, has restrained a woman, Idayat, from threatening or interfering with the private life of her estranged husband, Hakeem, following allegations of repeated violent attacks, including chasing him with a cutlass during domestic disputes. The Grade A Customary Court, Court 2, delivered the ruling while deciding a divorce suit filed by Hakeem, who told the court that his wife turned their home into what he described as a “battlefield” and made his life unbearable. Hakeem alleged that Idayat was persistently aggressive, disrespectful to his relatives, friends and neighbours, and hostile to his…

…New Platform To Replace Outdated Manual Asset Declarations By 2026 ….Unexplained Wealth Will Trigger Automatic Alerts For Further Investigation The Federal Government has begun developing an Artificial Intelligence-driven platform designed to instantly verify assets declared by public officials and flag unexplained wealth as part of renewed efforts to curb corruption. The Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau, Dr Abubakar Bello, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, saying the digital platform would become operational by the first quarter of 2026. Bello said the initiative would replace the existing manual asset declaration system, which he described…

Professional surveyors have offered to deploy advanced mapping technologies, including drones and sensor-based imaging, to help Nigeria’s security forces identify and dismantle bandits’ hideouts, particularly in forested areas across the country. The Chairman of the Association of Private Practising Surveyors of Nigeria (APPSN), Federal Capital Territory chapter, Mr Emmanuel Omuya, made the offer on Saturday while addressing journalists at the association’s fourth-quarter 2025 general assembly in Abuja. Omuya said resident surveyors possess the technical expertise and equipment required to support intelligence-led military operations, urging the Federal Government to strengthen collaboration with the profession as insecurity continues to spread nationwide. According…

An Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Uyo has sentenced four men to death by hanging for the kidnapping of a retired ExxonMobil worker, Mr Idongesit Demas Udom, and the amputation of his hand after collecting a ₦5m ransom. The convicts—Chinatu Iwe Abraham, 38, from Isiala Ngwa in Abia State; William ThankGod Sunday, 30; Ubon Monday Ebebe, 30; and Saturday Jonah Udo, 43—were found guilty of conspiracy, kidnapping and wounding with intent to maim, disfigure or disable. Delivering judgment after a four-hour reading, Justice Gabriel Ette held that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt, relying on the…

In a major political shake-up in Taraba State, Governor Dr Agbu Kefas on Sunday formally resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and joined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), saying the move was driven by his desire to align with President Bola Tinubu’s development vision for the country. Kefas completed his defection after registering as an APC member and receiving his membership card at a brief ceremony conducted by executives of the party in the state. The governor disclosed that a public declaration ceremony to formally announce his switch would be held in the coming days. Speaking shortly after…