Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has disclosed that Nigeria allocated over $16 billion to defence and security between 2008 and 2018, representing more than 10 percent of the federal budget within that period. Abbas made the revelation on Monday during a workshop in Abuja for security-based committees on “Non-Kinetic Strategies and Terrorism in Nigeria”. He canvassed a growing need to adopt cost-effective and sustainable approaches. “In 2020, the total budget for security accounted for 16.8 percent of the $27.9 billion budget. “This year, N3.25 trillion has been allocated to the defence and security sector, representing 12…

Daud Olatunji The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has revealed that over 50,000 inmates are currently awaiting trial across the country’s correctional centres, with 3,569 others languishing on death row. Spokesman of the NCoS, Umar Abubakar, disclosed this during an interview with The Punch, extracted by PLATFORM TIMES, highlighting the severe overcrowding in Nigerian prisons. According to Abubakar, a total of 80,000 inmates occupy facilities originally designed to accommodate just 50,000, leading to systemic challenges in the correctional system. He lamented the slow dispensation of justice as a major contributor to the overcrowding, stating, “As I speak to you, the inmate…

A man identified as Sunday Bidemi has been arrested by Police operatives attached to the Masaka Division in Nasarawa State for car theft, following a tip-off. According to a statement released on Monday by the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, DSP Ramhan Nansel, officers recovered a Toyota Corolla with registration number ABJ 730 KE during the operation. Nansel stated that preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect absconded with the vehicle in October 2024. He revealed that the car belongs to Barr. Wilson Egwun of Wuse II, Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja. “Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect absconded with the…

The Edo State Police Command has apprehended a 34-year-old man, Enabulele Aibuedefe, for allegedly raising a false kidnap alarm on the social media platform, X (formerly Twitter). In a statement issued on Monday, the Command’s spokesperson, SP Moses Joel Yamu, condemned the spread of fake news and disinformation, urging residents to desist from such acts. According to the statement, Aibuedefe, using the handle @edoboy2024, falsely claimed that police officers in Benin City had “kidnapped” two boys and were demanding N2 million for their release. He further warned youths to avoid the Ekenwan Slope area of the city, causing widespread panic…

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the renaming of the University of Abuja (UniAbuja) to Yakubu Gowon University in honour of Nigeria’s former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (retd.), who recently marked his 90th birthday. The Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this on Monday during the 14th council meeting of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Addressing journalists after the meeting, Idris noted that the proposal for the renaming would be forwarded to the National Assembly for formal approval to give it legal backing. “This renaming is in recognition of General Yakubu Gowon’s…

The Federal Government  in collaboration with 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, is set to validate the first phase of the Strategic Catchment Management Plans (SCMPs) under the Agroclimatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscape (ACReSAL) project. The validation session, scheduled for Wednesday in Abuja, follows extensive consultations across participating regions and marks a major step in Nigeria’s efforts to address climate resilience challenges. Funded by a $700 million World Bank loan, the six-year ACReSAL initiative aims to mitigate the impacts of climate change in northern Nigeria. The project’s scope focuses on tailored investments in water management, environmental sustainability, and…

A former Minister of Youths and Sports, Solomon Dalung, has criticized what he described as the “dangerous cabal” within President Bola Tinubu’s administration, claiming they are more sophisticated than those in former President Muhammadu Buhari’s government. Speaking during an episode of Seun Okinbaloye’s podcast, Mic On, Dalung alleged that the cabal surrounding Tinubu has entrenched itself deeply within the corridors of power, effectively shielding the president from the realities of the country. “Tinubu’s cabal is a more sophisticated group of people who have been in power for a long time. “They know power, they are informed, and so they are…

A Nigerian man identified as Johnson has been arrested in Delhi, India, for allegedly defrauding an Indian woman from Chhattisgarh’s Rajnandgaon district of approximately ₦9.1 million through a fraudulent marriage proposal. The Rajnandgaon police disclosed that Johnson, who had overstayed his visa and passport, lured the victim through a fake matrimonial profile, posing as a UK-based businessman intending to expand his business into India. According to the police, Johnson gained the woman’s trust before orchestrating a scam with an accomplice. The duo reportedly claimed Johnson was stranded at Delhi airport and required money to exchange UK currency, convincing the victim…

The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has expressed concern over the underdevelopment of Northern Nigeria, emphasizing the region’s lagging progress in education and agriculture. Sanusi made the remarks on Saturday during the 50th anniversary of the visit of Sheikh Ibrahim Nyass, founder of Faidha Tijjaniyya in West Africa, held in Jos, Plateau State. Speaking as the guest lecturer, the Emir criticized the North for failing to harness its significant population and vast agricultural potential to foster development. “The North is grossly underdeveloped, especially in the areas of education and agriculture, which are crucial for progress. “A large percentage of…

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has reported that it recorded 339 cases of alleged human rights violations in Gombe State in 2024. NHRC spokesman, Mr Ali Alola-Alfinti, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gombe. Alola-Alfinti said that majority of the cases were on parental neglect where fathers abandon their children and wives, citing economic hardship and poverty as reasons for their actions. He said the cases were on the increase due to sustained enlightenment campaigns on human rights violations in the state. According to him, the commission engages civil society organisations, media,…