Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal, has said he inherited a near-empty treasury and crippling debts when he took over from his predecessor, Bello Matawalle. Speaking during an interview on Arise TV on Monday, Lawal described the condition of Zamfara as a “complete mess” across sectors, with a failing education system, collapsed healthcare, widespread insecurity, and a mountain of financial liabilities. “When I took over as governor, Zamfara State was in a mess in every aspect of life—security at the highest level, education and healthcare at the bottom, human development capacity almost non-existent,” he said. Lawal disclosed that he…

The Rivers State Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas (retired), has issued a demand to the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) for the refund of N300 million. This sum was paid by the state government as hosting rights for the 2025 Annual General Conference, which the NBA subsequently relocated to Enugu. The NBA’s decision to move the conference from Rivers State was attributed to concerns over the state of emergency declaration and perceived democratic lapses within the state. In response, Ibok-Ette Ibas emphasized the importance of ethical consistency, stating, “While we respect the NBA’s prerogative in selecting conference venues, it is…

The Federal Government has declared a significant leap in Nigeria’s power sector stability, disclosing that the national grid now transmits electricity more reliably following the addition of over 700 megawatts of transmission capacity. The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, made this known during a meeting with the European Union Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Gautier Mignot, in Abuja over the weekend. According to a statement on Sunday by the minister’s media aide, Bolaji Tunji, the improved transmission performance was made possible through the Presidential Power Initiative, backed by a $2.3bn funding package aimed at overhauling the nation’s transmission infrastructure. “We have…

In a commendable effort to combat child trafficking across state borders, the Kaduna State Government has successfully rescued 13 children who were kidnapped and trafficked to various parts of Nigeria. According to the Commissioner for Human Services and Social Development, Rabi Salisu, the children, some of whom were as young as seven days old when abducted, were sold to traffickers operating in Kebbi, Cross River, Enugu, and Anambra States. Speaking to journalists on Saturday, April 12, 2025, Commissioner Salisu revealed the harrowing details of the rescue operation. “The rescued children were trafficked to Enugu State by a syndicate, with some…

The Federal Government will, in May 2025, commence a nationwide flood sensitisation campaign across 30 high-risk states and the Federal Capital Territory to mitigate the impact of potential disasters during the rainy season. This initiative, aimed at increasing public awareness and community preparedness, was disclosed by the Deputy Director, Department of Flood, Erosion Control and Coastal Management at the Federal Ministry of Environment, Mr Kunle Awojemila, in an interview with The PUNCH on Sunday. According to him, the campaign will kick off in the FCT, starting with Dutse, and later move to flood-prone areas such as Lokogoma and Lugbe. “We…

Three doctors at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja, Kogi State, have been reportedly dismissed for peacefully protesting against what they described as deteriorating working conditions and poor staff welfare at the institution. PLATFORM TIMES reports that the affected doctors, who had participated in several protests over time, were also pushing for the reinstatement of their suspended association president, Dr. Jimoh Umar. They demanded an independent probe into the hospital’s alleged decay and what they termed as long-standing management failures. According to the protesting doctors, the hospital has failed to address critical challenges, including a severe manpower shortage, dilapidated facilities, and…

The National Orientation Agency has uncovered a widespread fraud within the Federal Government’s student loan scheme, implicating several Nigerian universities and financial institutions in deliberately withholding disbursed funds meant for students. In a statement issued on Sunday, the agency’s Deputy Director of Communications and Media, Paul Odenyi, disclosed that an investigation by the agency’s Community Orientation and Mobilisation Officers (COMO) revealed unethical practices perpetrated by tertiary institutions in collusion with banks, denying students access to loans allocated by the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND). NOA’s Director General, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, disclosed the findings following a high-level meeting with NELFUND’s Managing…

The Presidency has dismissed the recent ruling by a United States court ordering the release of records regarding President Bola Tinubu’s alleged involvement in a decades-old drug trafficking case, insisting that no new revelations are expected. In a statement on Sunday, presidential aide, Bayo Onanuga, said the documents ordered to be released by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have been in the public domain for over 30 years and contain no indictment against Tinubu. The ruling, delivered on April 8 by Judge Beryl Howell of the U.S. District Court for the District of…

The Kwara State Police Command has arrested controversial singer Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, over allegations of criminal defamation, threat to life, and incitement against renowned Fuji musician, Saheed Osupa. The arrest, which followed a formal petition by Osupa, was confirmed in a statement issued on Sunday by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi. According to the statement, the petition detailed Portable’s alleged use of abusive and insulting language, as well as conduct likely to cause a breach of peace. The police said the allegations also included character assassination and incitement. “In view of the weight of…

The United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Amina J. Mohammed, the Emir of Kano, His Highness Muhammadu Sanusi II, and the Chief Operating Officer of the Murtala Muhammed Foundation, Dr Aisha Muhammed-Oyebode,  on Sunday joined other global advocates in London for the 11th anniversary of the Chibok Girls abduction. The event, themed “A Decade On: Chibok Photo Exhibition and Commemoration,” is holding at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, and aims to reflect on the global impact of the 2014 abduction that shocked the world. In a statement made available on Sunday, Muhammed-Oyebode said she would lead…