Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Toyyibat Qasim The Nigerian Army has rewarded a soldier, Private Utim Terwase, with N500,000 for rejecting a bribe offered by a suspected kidnapper he apprehended. The General Officer Commanding, 3 Division of the Nigerian Army and Commander of Operation Enduring Peace, Major General Maxwell Dangana, announced the reward on Wednesday in recognition of the soldier’s integrity and commitment to duty. PLATFORM TIMES gathered that Terwase arrested the suspected kidnapper, who reportedly attempted to evade arrest by offering him N500,000 to compromise his responsibility. The soldier, however, rejected the money and handed the suspect over to the appropriate authorities for further…

Daud Olatunji Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has declared that no amount of alleged intimidation or obstruction will stop the African Democratic Congress from pursuing its presidential campaign ahead of the 2027 general elections. Atiku, who spoke on Wednesday during the formal flag-off of his presidential campaign in Sokoto State, also pledged to tackle insecurity across the country if elected president. The ADC presidential candidate called on Nigerians to support the party and vote for it in the 2027 elections, insisting that restoring security to every part of the country remained one of his major commitments. He said, “I enumerated some…

Toyyibat Qasim The Secretary-General of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, Nuhu Toro, has denied allegations that he diverted 400 bags of Federal Government rice allocated to the labour centre in 2024, describing the claims as a “lie from the pit of hell”. Toro dismissed the allegations during an interview with SaharaReporters on Wednesday, insisting that the claims were false, unfounded and calculated to malign his reputation. The denial followed allegations by some sources within the organised labour movement that Toro allegedly took the entire consignment of 400 bags to his private residence in Karu, Nasarawa State, instead of distributing…

Daud Olatunji Six mourners, including a man conveying his deceased wife’s remains for burial, have regained their freedom after spending several days in the hands of kidnappers in Benue State. The victims were reportedly released in the early hours of Wednesday following the payment of ₦2.5m ransom, despite the abductors initially demanding ₦15m for their freedom. PLATFORM TIMES gathered that the victims were kidnapped at about 8pm on Friday along Adoka Road in Otukpo Local Government Area of the state while travelling to Okpoga in Okpokwu Local Government Area. The victims were said to be transporting the remains of the…

The Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified the emergence of Senator Sunday Karimi as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Kogi West Senatorial District in the 2027 general elections. The court also ordered the APC to immediately forward the name of Bamidele Aro, who challenged Karimi’s emergence, to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the party’s lawful candidate for the senatorial election. Justice Salim Ibrahim, who delivered the judgment on Wednesday, further directed Karimi to stop parading himself as the APC’s candidate for Kogi West in the forthcoming elections. The judge held that Aro had successfully…

Ayomide Awe The Senate has received a fresh request from President Bola Tinubu seeking approval to raise N10.79tn, equivalent to approximately $7.7bn, through external borrowing to finance part of the 2026 budget deficit. The request, contained in a letter read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during plenary, seeks legislative authorisation for the Federal Government to implement the external borrowing component of the 2026 Appropriation Act. Tinubu said the proposed borrowing was part of the N29.2tn new borrowing provision in the 2026 budget to finance a projected deficit of about N31.4tn. According to the President, the borrowing plan comprises N18.4tn in…

Ayomide Awe The Deji of Akure Kingdom, Oba (Dr.) Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi, Odundun II, has pledged the support of the palace towards mobilising eligible voters in the kingdom to collect their Permanent Voter Cards ahead of the 2027 general elections. The monarch also assured the Independent National Electoral Commission of the cooperation of the palace and the Deji-in-Council in promoting peaceful participation in the electoral process. Oba Aladelusi gave the assurance when the Ondo State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Mutiu Agboke, led members of the commission’s management team on a courtesy visit to his palace in Akure. The monarch’s…

Daud Olatunji The Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), Ogun State Chapter, has challenged all governorship candidates and political parties in the state to prioritise disability inclusion in their manifestos and governance agenda ahead of the 2027 general elections. The association urged candidates to move beyond campaign rhetoric and demonstrate concrete commitments to protecting the rights, dignity and interests of persons with disabilities through actionable policies, adequate budgetary allocations and meaningful political representation. JONAPWD said persons with disabilities must no longer be treated merely as beneficiaries of government programmes but recognised as equal stakeholders entitled to participate in…

Daud Olatunji The Eselu of Iselu Kingdom in Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State, Oba Ebenezer Akintunde Akinyemi, has dragged the Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, and other government officials before the Federal High Court, Abeokuta, challenging his suspension from office over alleged involvement in partisan politics. Akinyemi was suspended by the Ogun State Government about two weeks ago over allegations of engaging in partisan political activities, an action that reportedly came with a directive ordering him to immediately vacate his palace and stop presenting himself as the Eselu of Iselu Kingdom. The suspension letter, dated October 20,…

Firdaus Obiremi The Emir of Daura, Alhaji Faruq Umar-Faruk, has called on the National Assembly to enact legislation prescribing the death penalty for individuals convicted of trafficking in hard drugs, describing the menace as a serious threat to the future of Northern Nigeria and the country at large. The monarch made the call on Tuesday during a town hall meeting organised by the National Orientation Agency in collaboration with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, in Daura, Katsina State. The meeting was organised to sensitise residents to the dangers of drug abuse, illicit drug trafficking and domestic…