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Tragedy struck the serene Cheledi Community in Kirfi Local Government Area of Bauchi State as a ferocious flood surge wreaked havoc, swallowing up no less than 700 homes and fertile farmlands.  The State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) confirmed that this devastation was a direct consequence of the rivers in the region breaching their banks following an intense bout of torrential rain. Mr. Adamu Nayola, the Director of Planning, Research, and Statistics at SEMA, articulated the grim reality in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday within Bauchi.  “In the wake of the heavy…

A strong  indication has emerged that a total of eight banks and 18 other prominent publicly listed companies have been hit with a substantial fine of N125 million for their failure to submit their audited financial statements for the year 2022 and quarterly reports for the first half of 2023, in line with the stipulations set by the Nigerian Exchange. The financial institutions that faced the brunt of these penalties include Unity Bank, FBN Holdings, Access Holdings, Fidelity Bank, Jaiz Bank, Wema Bank, Guaranty Trust Holdings Plc, and Ecobank Transnational Incorporated. Furthermore, companies such as John Holt, PZ…

A recent survey conducted by GetBundi, a prominent online education technology platform, has unveiled a stark reality for Nigeria’s graduates.  More than 85% of the country’s graduates lack fundamental digital skills, rendering them ill-prepared to seize valuable job opportunities that demand modern proficiency.  This revelation, disclosed by Osita Oparaugo, the CEO of GetBundi, underscores a significant digital skills gap that has been closely tied to Nigeria’s persistently high unemployment rate. The absence of these crucial digital competencies stands as a prominent factor impeding the employment prospects of yearly graduates from tertiary institutions.  According to Oparaugo, the lack of practical digital…

In a heartfelt plea, local government chairmen in Ogun State have voiced their concerns over the dire situation caused by the absence of federal allocations reaching their jurisdictions.  The chairmen, led by Hon. Wale Adedayo of Ijebu East Local Government, penned an urgent letter to the revered statesman, Akinrogun Olusegun Osoba, appealing for intervention to rectify the longstanding issue. Highlighting the constitutional obligation that mandates a portion of the state’s internally generated revenue and federal allocations to be allocated to local governments, the letter underscored the dire consequences of these funds being withheld.  According to Adedayo, the…

In a surprising turn of events, the Edo State Government has made the decision to disband the media crew associated with Deputy Governor Phillip Shaibu. This decision comes in the aftermath of their abrupt exit from the colloquium commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Midwest Referendum, held on Monday, August 28, 2023. The Deputy Governor has been directed to formally request media coverage for his office’s activities from the Edo State Ministry of Communication and Orientation moving forward. This decision was communicated through an official statement by Chris Osa Nehikhare, the Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, on Monday. …

Israel Adeleke & Adejoke Adebiyi Residents residing in the Oke-lantoro area along the elite road in Abeokuta, Ogun State, find themselves in a precarious situation as their lives and properties are under imminent threat from a deluge of floodwaters that have submerged the Ifedayo community. The dire scenario unfolded on Sunday, August 28th, following a heavy downpour that wreaked havoc on residents’ homes and jeopardized their safety. A team from PLATFORM TIMES ventured into the community to assess the extent of the devastation caused by the flooding. Olayemi Okusolubo, one of the affected residents, pinpointed the root…

In a major operation, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has apprehended five individuals involved in a sophisticated scheme that manipulated letterheads from the Offices of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.  The culprits, identified as Mr. Yakubu Hamza Mohammed, Mr. Bashir Ladan, Mr. Adamu Ibrahim, Mr. Steven Anom, and Mr. Mohammed Bello, were taken into custody on August 24, 2023. The deceitful operation orchestrated by these individuals aimed at duping unsuspecting members of the public by utilizing counterfeit letterheads.  These phony documents were utilized to…

Fawaz Adebisi The governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki has reacted to a recent drama that unfolded during a church service commemorating the 32nd anniversary of Edo State’s creation, as security personnel attached to him blocked Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu from approaching his principal. The incident, which occurred at the Government House in Benin, prompted Governor Obaseki to defend his security details, asserting their duty to safeguard his well-being. During the service, Governor Obaseki, seated alongside his wife, Betsy, and Charles Aniagwu, a representative of the Delta State Governor, found himself at the center of attention when his deputy,…

Tomos Evans, a PhD researcher  from the United Kingdom, from Wales, but, based in the United States, spent about three years in Nigeria excavating some monument kept under the earth for more than 600 years . Evans who partnered the Augustine University, Ilara-Epe,Lagos State, spoke with PLATFORM TIMES  on  how the arguably, Sugbon-Eredo monument,  Africa’s largest single monument was excavated. Excerpts. How can you describe where you are, Sugbo-Eredo ? Sungbo-Eredo is a large earthwork. So, it’s where people have dug an enormous trench and then stacked up the earth into a large wall. And they did…

A landmark discovery has been made by researchers at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), who have unveiled a previously unknown genetic variant that heightens the susceptibility to Parkinson’s Disease (PD) in both African and African admixed communities.  This revelation comes as a pivotal contribution from the Global Parkinson’s Genetics Program (GP2), an international collaborative effort. The comprehensive investigation involved a diverse team, including the Nigeria Parkinson Disease Research (NPDR) network, International Parkinson’s Disease Genomics Consortium (IPDGC)-Africa, University College London, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the United States, and 23andMe. Generous funding was provided by the Michael…