Author: Platform Times Newspaper

A prosecution witness on Thursday told the Federal Cshhhjjjapital Territory High Court in Abuja that $6.23 million was illegally withdrawn from the Central Bank of Nigeria using forged documents during the tenure of former CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele. The witness, Bashirudden Maishanu, an assistant director at the apex bank and the 11th prosecution witness, testified before Justice Hamza Muazu in the ongoing trial instituted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission against Emefiele. Led in evidence by the EFCC Director of Public Prosecutions, Rotimi Oyedepo, Maishanu said the funds were paid out in cash from the CBN Garki branch on…

Mobile network operators in Nigeria have pledged to ramp up infrastructure spending in 2026, with investments expected to exceed the over $1bn (about N1.4tn) committed to the sector last year, the Nigerian Communications Commission has said. The pledge follows a surge in capital expenditure in 2025, during which operators rolled out more than 2,850 new network sites nationwide, expanding coverage across cities, rural communities and major transport corridors, while accelerating the rollout of 5G services. Speaking on the regulator’s latest network performance report, the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, said the gains recorded across key performance…

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has reaffirmed its capacity to meet and exceed Nigeria’s domestic fuel needs, pledging daily supplies of 75 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol), 25 million litres of Automotive Gas Oil (diesel) and 20 million litres of aviation fuel. In a public notice issued on Wednesday, the refinery said the volumes significantly surpass the country’s estimated daily consumption of about 50 million litres of petrol, 14 million litres of diesel and four million litres of jet fuel, providing a critical buffer against shortages and reducing dependence on imports. The company said, “The management of Dangote Petroleum…

The Parasitology and Public Health Society of Nigeria (PPSN) has urged the Federal and state governments, development partners and other stakeholders to intensify efforts towards eliminating neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in Nigeria, in line with the country’s National Master Plan and Elimination Roadmap. The call was made as Nigeria joined the global community to mark World NTD Day 2026, themed “Unite. Act. Eliminate.” In a commemorative message, the Chairman of the PPSN Communication Committee, Dr Tajudeen Olusegun Uthman, said the global theme mirrors Nigeria’s strategy of coordinated action, effective implementation and sustainable disease elimination. He noted that NTDs remain a…

… 5,061 Illegal Copies Seized From Nine Bookshops … Commission Vows Tougher Crackdown On Piracy … Offenders Fined, Materials Forfeite Daud Olatunji The Nigerian Copyright Commission has intensified its nationwide anti-piracy campaign with the destruction of 5,061 pirated books valued at N50.6m seized from bookshops across Ondo and Ekiti states. The illegal publications were publicly shredded on Thursday at the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps office in Akure, Ondo State, in an exercise led by the NCC Director-General, Mr John Asein, who was represented by the Oyo State Coordinator of the commission, Mr Oluropo Oke. Asein disclosed that the…

Ogun State Government has formally handed over Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Ijagun, to the Federal Government, marking a major milestone in the institution’s transition to federal status and Nigeria’s push to strengthen teacher education. Governor Dapo Abiodun sealed the transfer on Thursday during the university’s 17th convocation ceremony, where he signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad, who represented the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Alausa. The event was also marked by a major boost for female education as the wife of the President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, announced a…

The Borno State Governor, Prof Babagana Umara Zulum, has approved the immediate direct payment of monthly statutory allocations to the 27 local government areas of the state, in a move aimed at strengthening grassroots governance and promoting transparency. The approval was announced on Thursday by the Acting Governor, Alhaji Umar Usman Kadafur, shortly after the swearing-in of newly elected council chairpersons in Maiduguri. Kadafur said the policy aligns with the recent Supreme Court judgment affirming the financial autonomy of local governments, as well as President Bola Tinubu’s December 2025 directive urging governors to ensure full implementation of the ruling nationwide.…

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control on Thursday resumed full enforcement of its ban on alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and small plastic or glass bottles below 200 millilitres, insisting that the move is aimed at protecting children and other vulnerable Nigerians from harmful alcohol use. The agency said no alcohol-producing company had been shut down, dismissing claims circulating on social media that factories had been sealed, and clarified that only specific packaging formats were affected. Speaking on the enforcement, the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, said the action followed a directive of the Nigerian…

The Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has faulted the heavy media attention given in Nigeria to President Bola Tinubu’s brief stumble during his official visit to Turkey, describing the reaction as misplaced and unnecessary. Dabiri-Erewa said Turkish officials were surprised that the minor incident became headline news in Nigeria, even as it was ignored by mainstream media in Turkey, where focus remained on the outcomes of the President’s visit. She disclosed this on Wednesday while reacting to a post on X by a user, Oguntoye Opeyemi, popularly known as Equityoyo, who criticised Nigerian media for amplifying…

The Chairman of Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State, Hon. Alabi Bliss Oshionogue, has been impeached by the legislative arm of the council following a deepening crisis that split councillors and paralysed governance at the grassroots. Oshionogue’s removal was conveyed in a letter signed by seven councillors, hours after an intervention by the Edo State House of Assembly to broker peace between the chairman and the lawmakers reportedly collapsed. Sources within the council told PLATFORM TIMES that the crisis escalated when three councillors, who were absent from the reconciliation meeting, allegedly attempted to remove the seven others from office.…