Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The Nigeria Correctional Service has dismissed a senior officer, Assistant Superintendent of Corrections (ASC I), Efe Onakpoya, for taking unauthorized photographs of an inmate and publishing them on the internet, in what the Service described as a gross violation of its code of conduct. The Service’s spokesperson, Abubakar Umar, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday, debunking widespread claims that Onakpoya was punished for exposing alleged misconduct involving an inmate being released for conjugal purposes. According to the statement, Onakpoya, who was attached to the Medium Security Custodial Centre (MSCC) in Afikpo, Ebonyi State, was found guilty of unethical conduct…

The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has raised concerns over the unequal compensation given to coaches of the Super Falcons compared to players, following the team’s victory at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON). Speaking during the RCCG’s monthly Thanksgiving Service on Sunday at the church’s national headquarters in Ebute-Meta, Lagos, the respected cleric commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for honouring the Super Falcons for clinching their 10th WAFCON title in Morocco. President Tinubu had recently rewarded each of the 24 players with the naira equivalent of $100,000 and a…

In a sweeping operation across multiple states, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested several individuals, including three dispatch riders in Abuja, for distributing various forms of illicit drugs. The agency’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, disclosed in a statement on Sunday that the arrests followed intelligence-led stop-and-search operations conducted by operatives in the Federal Capital Territory on July 30. The arrested dispatch riders — Sabo Sule, 24; Samuel Nnamdi, 28; and Idris Jibrin, 28 — were intercepted in the Gwarimpa, Jahi, and Galadimawa areas of Abuja. NDLEA operatives recovered a total of 149.8 grammes of Canadian Loud, a potent…

Former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has faulted the growing trend of naming public facilities after individuals, insisting that such actions are meaningless in a country plagued by hunger, poverty, and underdevelopment. Obi’s comment followed the controversial renaming of the iconic Charly Boy Bus Stop in Lagos State to “Olamide Baddo Bus Stop” by the Bariga Local Council Development Area (LCDA), a move that has drawn widespread criticism and debate across the country. In a viral video circulating on social media, Obi, during an interaction with activist and entertainer Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly…

In an unprecedented political development in Rivers State, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have struck a rare alliance ahead of the August 30, 2025, local government elections by jointly adopting consensus candidates across the 23 local government areas. Most of the nominated candidates are either former council chairmen or loyalists of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, who is widely perceived as the architect of the new alliance despite his PDP affiliation. Wike’s influence in Rivers politics appears unshaken, as both parties now align with his political structure, creating ripples across…

A socio-political group, The Alternative Movement, has launched an intensive grassroots mobilisation campaign across Ogun State, urging citizens to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and prepare to actively participate in the 2027 general elections. The campaign train made a stop in Atan, Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area on Friday, where members of the group engaged residents on the importance of political participation as a tool for change. The move follows a recent disclosure by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that over one million PVCs remain uncollected in Ogun State alone — a situation The Alternative Movement describes as alarming…

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has issued a damning warning that Nigeria’s social fabric could be irreparably damaged if President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) are re-elected in 2027. Speaking on Saturday in Sokoto at a grassroots mobilisation rally organised by the African Democratic Congress (ADC), El-Rufai declared that Tinubu’s continuation in power would be a grave threat to Nigeria’s unity and survival. “I believe that if we allow this party and the government to continue for a second term in office, what remains of Nigeria’s social capital will be destroyed, and we may not…

The Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN) has called on the Federal Government to extend the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) to cover postgraduate students, citing the rising financial challenges faced by graduates seeking further education. This appeal was among the key resolutions contained in the communiqué issued at the end of the 2025 National Higher Institution Convention of Muslim Students (NHICOMS), which concluded on Saturday at the University of Ilorin, Kwara State. The convention, held between July 31 and August 3, brought together hundreds of Muslim students from universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education across Nigeria under the theme…

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Abeokuta Branch, has recorded notable achievements within the first month of its new leadership, led by Chairman, Chief ‘Kayode Aderemi. PLATFORM TIMES reports that the developments made in July 2025 include initiatives aimed at improving member welfare, strengthening infrastructure, and building partnerships. According to a statement obtained from the branch leadership, among the key achievements is the free distribution of official NBA ID cards to members to aid identification and access to branch benefits. The statement added that the branch also entered into a partnership with OOPL Cinemas to offer members discounted movie tickets, and…

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has called on state governments to make the use of life jackets compulsory for all boat passengers as part of a broader effort to curb avoidable deaths on the nation’s waterways. This appeal was made by the NSIB Director of Transport Investigation, Mr. Abdullahi Babanya, in an interview while highlighting the Bureau’s expanded mandate to investigate transport incidents beyond aviation — including marine, rail, and road accidents. Babanya described as alarming the frequency of deadly boat mishaps, citing a recent tragedy in Shiroro, Niger State, where a boat carrying 39 passengers capsized, leaving 13…