Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has raised fresh alarm over rising job losses and what it described as worsening suppression of workers’ rights in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, warning that the development could trigger widespread industrial unrest. The warning came on Sunday during the union’s 6th Quadrennial Delegates Conference in Lagos, where outgoing President, Prince Williams Akporeha, delivered a strongly worded valedictory address detailing growing hardship among oil workers amid ongoing economic reforms. Akporeha said the removal of fuel subsidy had triggered far-reaching consequences across the sector, particularly for informal and downstream workers whose…

…Cites financial, legal concerns abroad …Seeks US-Nigeria verification process A civil society coalition, the United Actions for Democracy (UAD), has petitioned the Federal Government, urging the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to launch investigations into alleged criminal matters involving the Governor of Ogun State, Adedapo Oluseun Abiodun. The body also asked the federal government  to consider initiating legal and diplomatic steps that could lead to his deportation to the United States if the allegations are confirmed. In a petition dated April 20, 2026, and addressed to the Attorney-General in Abuja, the group said its request was…

… Links Remark To Historic Political VIolence …. Links Remark To Historic Political Violence The All Progressives Congress on Sunday came down hard on Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, over his controversial reference to “Operation Wetie,” accusing him of inciting violence and threatening national stability. Makinde had made the remark on Saturday while hosting opposition leaders at a political summit in Ibadan, where he warned against what he described as Nigeria’s gradual drift towards a one-party state. Invoking the infamous “Operation Wetie” — a violent political campaign in the Western Region in the 1960s marked by arson and attacks…

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has intercepted a large consignment of Captagon, a dangerous stimulant linked to insurgency and organised crime, in Kwara State, in what authorities described as a major breakthrough against emerging drug trafficking threats. The agency said its operatives, during a routine patrol along Bode Saadu Road on April 21, 2026, stopped a passenger vehicle and discovered 10,000 pills of the illicit substance on a 33-year-old suspect, Nasiru Mu’azu. According to a statement on Sunday by the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, officers also recovered nine packets of Tapentadol, a potent opioid, from…

A member of a local hunters’ group has been killed in an accidental explosion during a joint patrol with Nigerian troops in Adamawa State. PLATFORM TIMES gathered that the incident occurred at about 10:15 a.m. on Friday in Gombi Local Government Area when troops of the 232 Battalion (Tactical), alongside local hunters, were conducting a fighting patrol around the Member Farm and Dogon Kuka axis. Sources said the patrol team was returning along the Garkida–Gombi route when the explosion occurred under unclear circumstances. It was learnt that the victim, identified as one of the hunters supporting the military operation, reportedly…

The Ogun State Police Command has dismissed as false a viral video alleging the presence of armed bandits operating in a forest within the state, clarifying that the footage originated from Kenya and not Nigeria. In a statement issued on Sunday, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, said the video—widely circulated on social media—was “misleading and deliberately recycled” to create panic among residents. The command stated that preliminary investigations and fact-checking confirmed that the footage was recorded outside Nigeria. “The Ogun State Police Command wishes to categorically refute a viral video purportedly showing armed men operating within a…

The Nigeria Revenue Service has dismissed as false a viral report alleging that the Federal Government has introduced a new tax on vehicles with large engine capacities. The agency, in a statement issued on Sunday, described the circulating message as “misleading” and clarified that no such policy exists. The viral claim, widely shared on social media, had alleged that a 2–4 per cent surcharge would be imposed on imported vehicles with engine capacities above 2,000cc from July 1, 2026. It also suggested that the purported policy was part of broader fiscal reforms aimed at promoting cleaner transport, with exemptions for…

The Secretary-General of the Ogun State Muslim Council, Asiwaju Kamal’deen Akintunde, on Saturday endorsed the Federal Government’s push for technical and vocational education as well as its policy to curb the proliferation of universities, describing both as critical to building a modern economy. Akintunde spoke in Abeokuta during the 20th Founder’s Day Lecture of Crescent University, where he was honoured with the 2026 Bola Ajibola Community Award for his contributions to youth development, promotion of faith, and inter-faith harmony. The Muslim leader said the government’s emphasis on skills acquisition and technology-driven education aligned with the demands of a 21st-century economy.…

The media office of Senator Olugbenga Onaolapo Obadara on Sunday dismissed claims by former Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, over the outcome of a recent All Progressives Congress meeting in Ogun Central, describing his account as “inaccurate and misleading.” Obadara’s camp, in a statement issued in Abeokuta, was reacting to an earlier release by Amosun titled “Setting the Record Straight,” in which the former governor reportedly gave his version of the April 23, 2026 meeting held at the residence of a party chieftain, Chief Olusegun Osoba. Faulting the narrative, Obadara said key facts were either omitted or misrepresented, particularly…

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has debunked a viral result slip claiming that a candidate from Cross River State scored 394 in the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, describing it as fabricated and misleading. The examination body, in a statement issued on Sunday by its spokesperson, Dr Fabian Benjamin, said the result—widely circulated on social media—did not emanate from its system and should be disregarded. The fake result, shared by a social media user identified as @Onsogbu on X, alleged that one Okon Winniefred Sampson recorded near-perfect scores across four subjects, sparking widespread reactions online. Reacting, JAMB said it…