Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) has announced that engineering work on Nigeria’s first locally-made helicopter is nearing completion, with plans for its maiden test flight set to take place soon. The Project Manager of NASENI’s Aeronautics and Air Vehicle Development Institute in Kaduna, Kareem Aduagba, disclosed this during a Focus Group Engagement held on Tuesday. The event, attended by inventors, manufacturers, and key industry stakeholders, aimed to promote local manufacturing and innovation. Aduagba explained that the agency was leveraging scientific and engineering expertise to develop the helicopter alongside Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). He noted that while…

The Sultanate Council of Sokoto has announced that Friday, February 28, 2025, will mark the commencement of the search for the new Moon of Ramadan 1446AH. In a statement issued by Prof. Sambo Wali Junaidu, Wazirin Sokoto and Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs, Muslims are called upon to actively search for the new moon on Friday evening. Any sightings should be reported promptly to local District or Village Heads, who will relay the information to Sultan Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III and the President General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs. This process is crucial for…

Chairman, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Ola Olukoyede, says organised foreign fraud syndicates are establishing cells in Nigerian cities and recruiting youths into serious organised cybercrimes, including cryptocurrency fraud. EFCC Spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, said this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja. He explained that Olukoyede said this while receiving participants of the Executive Intelligence Management Course (EIMC) 18 of the National Institute for Security Studies (NISS) on Wednesday in Abuja. He said the institute’s Director of Studies, Hyginus Ngele, led the team to the commission. Olukoyede expressed surprise at how bandits and insurgents were able to…

Feyi Ogunbiyi Two nursing mothers and eight other inmates at the Ibara Correctional Center, Abeokuta, Ogun State, have regained their freedom following the intervention of the Olu of Itori, Oba Abdul Fatai Akamo, who paid their fines as part of events marking his 21st anniversary on the throne. The released inmates, comprising three women—including two nursing mothers—and seven men, had been unable to meet their bail conditions after being charged with various offenses. The visibly relieved women carried their infants on their backs as they walked out of the facility into a new chapter of their lives. Oba Akamo, in…

Daud Olatunji The Abdul Samad Rabiu Initiative (ASR Africa) has laid the foundation for a state-of-the-art medical laboratory complex worth N500 million at Crescent University, Abeokuta, Ogun State, in a significant boost to medical education at the private institution. The groundbreaking ceremony, held on the university’s main campus along Lafenwa-Ayetoro Road, was presided over by the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of ASR Africa, Dr. Udoh Ubong, who confirmed that the facility—comprising three fully equipped laboratories—would be completed within the next six months, barring unforeseen circumstances. Ubong emphasized that Crescent University was selected as a beneficiary of the initiative…

Ayomide Awe Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has demonstrated his commitment to academic excellence by awarding a total of N6m to the best graduating students of the Ogun State Institute of Technology (OGITECH), Igbesa. Governor Abiodun made this announcement during the 6th Combined Convocation Ceremony of OGITECH, where he emphasized the importance of rewarding exceptional academic performance. The monetary reward, which includes N2 million  each for the three overall best students, reflects the governor’s dedication to fostering educational development across Ogun State. Represented by his Deputy, Engr Noimot Salako-Oyedele, Governor Abiodun commended OGITECH for its pivotal role in nurturing a…

In a swift response to credible threats, security agents successfully averted a potential attack on the palace of Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, the 15th Emir of Kano, located in Nasarawa. Early Wednesday morning, combined security forces were deployed to block access to the palace following intelligence reports of an imminent assault. The security measures were prompted by a viral video circulating on Tuesday night, which alleged plans by unidentified youths to storm the Nasarawa emir’s palace and forcibly remove Emir Aminu Ado Bayero from his residence. The video also called on supporters of the emir to gather in defense of…

A former staff member of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Ajibola Oluwafidipo, has recounted how former President Olusegun Obasanjo personally intervened to save him from being laid off during a downsizing exercise in 2011. Oluwafidipo shared his experience in a tribute, highlighting Obasanjo’s unexpected act of kindness that kept him from joining the ranks of the unemployed at the time. According to him, on May 11, 2011, the OOPL, which was still a project site at the time, faced financial constraints that necessitated reducing its workforce. “Over 200 employees were assembled at Christ the Glorious King Chapel for an…

The De Renaissance Patriots Foundation, a socio-cultural group advocating for the rights of Lagos indigenes, has accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of systematically sidelining Lagos natives in political appointments and governance. In a statement released on Wednesday, February 26, 2025, titled “Exposed: Systematic Marginalization of Lagos Indigenes” with a rider “A Call for Indigenous Solidarity,” the group expressed concerns over what it described as the imposition of non-indigenes in key political positions in the state. The group particularly condemned the alleged pressure on the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mojisola Lasbat Meranda, to step down…

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has taken decisive action against MultiChoice Nigeria following the company’s announcement of significant subscription rate hikes for its DStv and GOtv services. In a statement released on Tuesday, Ondaje Ijagwu, FCCPC’s Director of Corporate Affairs, revealed that MultiChoice has been summoned to provide clarity on the impending price adjustments. Effective from March 1, 2025, DStv Premium subscribers will face an increase from N37,000 to N44,500, while Compact+ subscribers will see rates rise from N25,000 to N30,000, according to an email communication reviewed by TheCable on Monday. The FCCPC invoked its authority under…