Author: Platform Times Newspaper

….Lagos Records Lowest Allocation a At 5.3% …None Of Six States Meets 26% Allocation Target … Concerns Mount Over Impact On Schools, Learning Daud Olatunji All six South-West states have failed to meet the recommended benchmark for education funding in their 2026 budgets, raising fresh concerns over the region’s commitment to the sector. An analysis of the approved budgets of Lagos State, Ogun State, Oyo State, Ekiti State, Osun State and Ondo State showed that none allocated up to the 26 per cent benchmark prescribed in the Federal Ministry of Education’s National Policy on Education. Findings indicated that education allocations…

Operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Lagos State Command, have uncovered an alleged baby factory in the Okuju area of Ilado, Badagry, rescuing 18 pregnant women and 10 children while arresting two suspected operators. The suspects, identified as Joy Okeke and Raphael Agwu, were apprehended during a late-night operation on Wednesday following what the agency described as three weeks of actionable intelligence. Parading the suspects and victims at the NSCDC Badagry Division in Ibereko on Friday, the Lagos State Commandant, Adedotun Keshinro, said the facility was being used to harbour pregnant women whose babies were sold to…

Prominent Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has invoked curses on the abductors of a University of Jos graduate, John Arum, describing the country’s worsening insecurity as a failure of leadership and ineffective security strategy. Gumi’s reaction followed the circulation of a viral video showing the victim in captivity, with the kidnappers demanding a N30m ransom. In a strongly worded statement on Friday, the cleric condemned the perpetrators, accusing them of lacking humanity and warning that the spate of abductions now poses a grave threat to all Nigerians. “May Allah destroy any person who helped in creating this situation or participated…

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has secured no fewer than 974 convictions for drug-related offences across the country within the first quarter of 2026, as part of intensified efforts to dismantle trafficking networks and prosecute offenders. The agency disclosed that the convictions, recorded between January and March, involved 899 male and 75 female offenders. A breakdown showed that 265 convictions were secured in January, 316 in February, and 393 in March. In a statement issued on Friday by its Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the agency revealed that 11 high-profile drug kingpins were among those convicted, receiving…

The Lagos State Ministry of Justice has freed four police officers and a property developer, Abiodun Ariori, accused of killing six traders in the Owode Onirin area of Kosofe, following legal advice that the officers acted in self-defence. PLATFORM TIMES gathered that the suspects were discharged after the Directorate of Public Prosecutions, in a legal opinion dated March 3, 2026, ruled that there was no prima facie case to support charges of manslaughter. The Director of Public Prosecutions, Babajide Martins, in the advice, faulted the police investigation, citing insufficient evidence linking the suspects to the deaths of the victims. The…

Two Nigerians, Akinade Raheem and Abayomi Eletu, are facing a combined maximum of 100 years’ imprisonment in the United States over their alleged involvement in a $100m tax fraud scheme targeting the Internal Revenue Service. According to a statement released by the US Department of Justice, the duo allegedly conspired with others between 2018 and 2023 to fraudulently obtain tax refunds by stealing and exploiting the identities of taxpayers and tax professionals. Raheem, 43, and Eletu, 42—said to be residents of the United States and the United Kingdom respectively—were accused of filing over 300 false tax returns, claiming more than…

The National Open University of Nigeria has matriculated 58 inmates of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Ogun State Command, as part of efforts to promote rehabilitation and reintegration through education. The matriculation ceremony, held at the Ibara Custodial Centre in Abeokuta on Thursday, underscored the growing role of open and distance learning in expanding access to education, particularly among underserved populations, including inmates. Speaking at the event, the Vice-Chancellor of NOUN, Prof. Uduma Oji Uduma, represented by a senior official, described the occasion as “a moment of awakening,” stressing that education remains a powerful tool for overcoming limitations and transforming lives.…

The convener of The Alternative, Segun Sowunmi, has declared his intention to contest the 2027 governorship election in Ogun State, but declined to disclose the political platform he will run on. Sowunmi made the declaration on Friday during a visit to the secretariat of the Inter-Party Advisory Council in Abeokuta, where he also sought the support of political stakeholders ahead of the poll. The former spokesman to ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar said his ambition was driven by the need to provide “purposeful and quality leadership” for the state, stressing that the 2027 election should not be reduced to a mere…

The Commissioner of Police in Ogun State, Olubode Bode Ojajuni, has urged broadcasters to promote positive narratives about Nigeria and prioritise the projection of the country’s cultural heritage in their programming. Ojajuni gave the charge on Wednesday during a courtesy visit by members of the Association of Nigerian Broadcasters, Ogun State chapter, at the state Police Command headquarters. The delegation, led by the State Governor of ANBROAD, Gbenga Goke Fadiran, visited the police boss to welcome him to the state and strengthen collaboration between the media and the Nigeria Police Force. Addressing the broadcasters, Ojajuni stressed the need for responsible…

A Senior Editor with the Ogun State Broadcasting Corporation, Waheed Ogunjobi, has earned a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in Policy and Strategic Communication from Lagos State University, Ojo. The doctorate was conferred following the successful defence of his thesis before an academic panel chaired by communication scholar, Sola Adeyanju. Ogunjobi’s research, titled Newspapers’ Framing of Rural Grazing Area Policy in Nigeria, examined the media’s role in shaping public perception and influencing policy outcomes, particularly in relation to contentious national issues. Findings from the study revealed critical gaps in policy communication and underscored the need for improved media engagement through…