Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The Ondo State office of the Independent National Electoral Commission has declared its readiness to conduct the Ondo South Senatorial District bye-election scheduled for June 20, 2026, assuring stakeholders of a credible, transparent and violence-free exercise. The Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Mutiu  Agboke, disclosed this on Wednesday during a stakeholders’ meeting held in Okitipupa, where he outlined the commission’s preparedness and logistics arrangements ahead of the poll. Agboke said the bye-election became necessary following the appointment of former lawmaker, Jimoh Ibrahim, as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He noted that the…

A Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday sentenced four men to death by hanging for their roles in the deadly attack on St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, which claimed over 40 lives and left more than 100 worshippers injured. The trial judge, Emeka Nwite, handed down the verdict after finding the quartet guilty on a nine-count terrorism charge brought by the Department of State Services on behalf of the Federal Government. Those convicted are Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, 25; Al-Qasim Idris, 20; Jamiu Abdulmalik, 26; and Abdulhaleem Idris, 25. However, the court discharged and acquitted a fifth…

Egbin Power Plc has reinforced its performance-driven culture by rewarding outstanding employees at its 2026 Employee Recognition Awards (ERA), with top staff members receiving prizes, including a brand-new sport utility vehicle. The event, held at the company’s plant in Ikorodu, Lagos, brought together management and employees in a ceremony aimed at celebrating exceptional contributions across departments and boosting workplace excellence. At the highlight of the ceremony, Amos Oshanugo of the Instrumentation and Control Department emerged as the overall Top Performer, clinching the grand prize of a Chery Tiggo 2 Pro SUV. Chidima Celestine from the Operations Department and Endurance Otaru…

A Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, has ordered Access Bank Plc to pay a total of N16m in damages to some customers for unlawfully placing post-no-debit restrictions on their accounts without sufficient legal justification. The judgment, delivered on June 1, 2026, by Justice Chukwujekwu Joseph Aneke in suit number FHC/L/CS/878/2023, faulted the bank’s action, describing it as arbitrary and unsupported by law. The court held that financial institutions must operate strictly within legal provisions when restricting customers’ accounts, warning that such actions cannot be based on mere suspicion or unverified links to transactions. Justice Aneke, after reviewing arguments…

Lawyers across the Nsukka judicial axis of Enugu State on Tuesday staged coordinated protests, threatening to shut down court activities over what they described as the persistent reliance on virtual proceedings by judges sitting in the area. The protesters, drawn from five judicial divisions—Nsukka, Obollo-Afor, Enugu-Ezike, Ogbede and Umulokpa—said the arrangement, introduced years ago due to insecurity along the Ugwogo-Opi-Nsukka Road, had outlived its usefulness and was now undermining the administration of justice. Members of the Nigeria Bar Association Nigeria Bar Association Nsukka Branch said judges in the district had shifted to remote hearings following repeated kidnappings and attacks on…

A wave of anger trailed the continued captivity of abducted pupils and teachers from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State as a female protester, on Monday, openly condemned President Bola Tinubu, his wife, Senator Remi Tinubu, and their son, Seyi Tinubu, over what she described as government insensitivity to the plight of victims. The protester, who joined the #BringBackOurPupilsAndTeachers demonstration in Ogun State, accused the Federal Government of failing to secure the release of over 40 abducted schoolchildren and seven teachers, saying the authorities had continued to issue assurances without concrete results. In a viral video…

A civil society organisation, the Foundation for Digital Justice, has dragged the Independent National Electoral Commission before a Federal High Court in Lagos over its alleged refusal to release details of a forensic investigation into an X (formerly Twitter) account linked to its chairman, Joash Amupitan. The suit, marked FHC/LAG/CS/890/2026, challenges INEC’s failure to disclose the identity and report of a forensic cybersecurity expert it engaged to probe the controversial social media account. According to court documents, the foundation is seeking a declaration that the commission’s refusal to provide the requested information violates provisions of the Freedom of Information Act,…

The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has disclosed that the leadership of the National Assembly is making efforts to secure return tickets for some senators who lost their parties’ primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections. Akpabio made this known on Tuesday while addressing lawmakers after the Senate resumed plenary following a four-week recess. Findings indicate that no fewer than 40 incumbent senators across major political parties, including the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party, failed to secure tickets during the primaries, raising concerns within the red chamber. Among those affected are Senators Ned Nwoko, Gbenga Daniel,…

The Ogun State Police Command has dismissed widespread reports of bandit attacks across parts of the state, clarifying that the arrest of 38 Ivorian nationals in Atan-Ota was not connected to terrorism or any form of violent crime. The command’s spokesperson, Babaseyi Oluseyi, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, insisting that Ogun remains peaceful despite viral claims of attacks on schools and communities in Ota, Ifo and adjoining areas. Oluseyi said intelligence and on-the-ground assessments showed no evidence of banditry, kidnapping or security breaches in the affected locations, including Oluke Community High School, Sango Ota High School in the…

The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (Redeemed Christian Church of God), Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, has urged Nigeria’s security chiefs to eliminate terrorists within 90 days or step down, warning that the country’s worsening insecurity demands urgent and uncompromising action. Adeboye, in a video message shared via the church’s official X handle on Tuesday, said Nigeria could no longer afford prolonged cycles of violence, kidnappings and mass abductions without decisive consequences for security leadership. “If I were asked to make suggestions, I would say quietly to our government, move fast. And tell our security chiefs, get…