Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Tragedy struck Dutse, Jigawa State, on Tuesday as two separate fire incidents claimed the lives of two children and destroyed property worth several thousands of naira. The Jigawa State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps confirmed the incidents in a statement on Thursday, describing the loss of the children as devastating. According to the Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASC Badruddeen Tijjani Mahmud, the first incident occurred in the early hours of March 17 at about 4:00 a.m. at Layin Dabinai, near Masallacin Malam Babba in Dutse. Mahmud said the fire, the cause of which is yet to…

The Bauchi State Police Command has arrested four siblings over their alleged involvement in the killing of a private security guard during an attack on a farm in Jama’are Local Government Area of the state. The incident, which reportedly occurred in the early hours of Sunday, March 15, left one guard dead and two others injured. Police Public Relations Officer, SP Nafiu Habib, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, noting that the attack was first reported by local hunters who alerted authorities to a violent invasion of the farm belonging to one Idris Waziri Kwamawa. According to the statement,…

The Lagos State Environmental Sanitation and Special Offences Enforcement Unit (Taskforce) has dismissed a viral allegation accusing its officers of extorting N250,000 from a motorist, describing the claim as false, malicious, and aimed at tarnishing its image. The allegation, which spread across social media, claimed that officials of the Taskforce towed a vehicle in the Ijesha area of Lagos and demanded the sum before releasing it. The report was attributed to a source identified as Sherifdeen and linked to a platform associated with Òjón Omo Ékó. But the agency, in a statement on Friday by its Chairman, Chief Superintendent of…

The Nigeria Police Force has launched a full-scale investigation into alleged large-scale financial misconduct in Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State, with the Acting Chairman, Mr Sunday Akiotu, at the centre of claims of diversion of over N100 million in public funds. The probe is being conducted by the Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU), Ikoyi, Lagos, following a petition by a civil society group, Integrity Advocacy for Development Initiative, which accused the council leadership of criminal conspiracy, procurement fraud, money laundering and abuse of office. As part of the ongoing investigation, the PSFU has invited Akiotu to appear…

Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum, has reaffirmed his loyalty to Vice President Kashim Shettima while calling on residents to offer prayers for a credible successor ahead of the 2027 general elections. Zulum made the appeal in a statewide address on Friday, urging citizens to prioritise unity, stability and security as political activities intensify across the state. The governor expressed sympathy for victims of insecurity in Borno, noting that the resilience of residents remains the backbone of the state despite years of insurgency. He stressed that collective prayers and community cooperation remain vital to overcoming the prevailing security challenges. As…

President Bola Tinubu has declared that securing Nigeria is a shared responsibility of all citizens, warning that the country’s stability cannot be left solely in the hands of government. Tinubu spoke on Friday after observing the Eid-el-Fitr prayers at the Dodan Barracks Eid Ground in Lagos, where he urged Nigerians to sustain the virtues of discipline, compassion and unity beyond the holy month of Ramadan. According to him, the spiritual and moral lessons of Ramadan—charity, love, and peaceful coexistence—must not be discarded after the fasting period, but embraced as a continuous way of life. “We thank Almighty God for guiding…

The Imo State Police Command has arrested no fewer than 75 suspects over alleged involvement in crimes ranging from kidnapping and armed robbery to terrorism, as security operatives dismantled a suspected camp linked to the Indigenous People of Biafra and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network. The Commissioner of Police in the state, Audu Garba Bosso, disclosed this on Wednesday while parading the suspects, attributing the arrests to intensified intelligence-led operations carried out in synergy with other security agencies and local stakeholders. Bosso said the coordinated offensives had significantly curtailed criminal activities across the state, enhancing safety for residents…

Widespread outrage has trailed the alleged sexual assault of several women during the controversial Alue-Do festival in Ozoro, Isoko North Local Government Area of Delta State, with the police arresting a community leader and four others over the incident. Viral videos from the Thursday festival showed young women being chased, stripped and molested by groups of youths in broad daylight, sparking condemnation across the country. In one of the clips, a lady was dragged off a motorcycle and assaulted, while others showed victims struggling to cover themselves as attackers tore their clothes amid cheers from onlookers. Although the exact number…

The Presidency on Friday dismissed reports suggesting that Nigeria had agreed to receive foreign deportees under a recent migration agreement with the United Kingdom, insisting that the deal strictly applies to Nigerian citizens residing illegally in the UK. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, said the clarification became necessary following what he described as widespread misinformation surrounding the pact. Ajayi, in a statement shared via his verified X handle, explained that the agreement was signed during President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent state visit to the United Kingdom and does not compel Nigeria to…

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has increased the ex-depot price of Premium Motor Spirit to N1,245 per litre, citing escalating global geopolitical tensions and rising crude oil costs. The new price represents a N70 increase from the previous N1,175 per litre and is expected to trigger a fresh rise in pump prices nationwide as marketers adjust to the higher cost. In a notice issued to marketers on Friday, the refinery said the adjustment was driven by developments in the international oil market. “Please be informed that due to the current global geo-political situation, which has further escalated, the PMS gantry and…