Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The Federal Government has unveiled a National Forest Guard initiative to secure all 1,129 forests across Nigeria from terrorists, bandits, and criminal syndicates. The plan, announced on Wednesday by presidential spokesperson, Sunday Dare. He said  the move arks a decisive step in President Bola Tinubu’s security agenda, which he said  aims to reclaim national territory from violent non-state actors. According to Dare, recruitment and deployment of forest guards are to begin immediately. The operatives, who will be fully trained and armed, are tasked with flushing out criminal elements who use the country’s vast forest reserves as safe havens for illegal…

The Abeokuta Polo Club is set to host a high-profile groundbreaking ceremony on Saturday, May 17, 2025, unveiling a sprawling development project that redefines the role of sport in national development. The event, scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m. at the club’s newly acquired 100-acre site, will feature a live polo match and will be chaired by the Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Dr. Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo III, who is expected to perform the symbolic blessing of the land. Speaking ahead of the ceremony, President of the Abeokuta Polo Club, Dr. Sheriff Adams Abdulrahmon, described the project as…

The Society of Music Educators of Nigeria (SOMEN) has called for the urgent adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in music education across the country, as part of a bold move to unify music teaching methods and align with global standards. The call was made during SOMEN’s 20th Annual National Conference, held on Wednesday at the Federal College of Education, Osiele, Abeokuta, Ogun State. The gathering brought together music educators, researchers, practitioners, and stakeholders from across Nigeria to chart a progressive path for the future of music education. Renowned educationist and keynote speaker, Professor Peter Okebukola, in his address themed “Artificial…

No fewer than 120 million Nigerians have so far been enrolled in the National Identity Number (NIN) database, the Director-General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Abisoye Coker-Odusote, disclosed on Wednesday in Abuja. Speaking at a media conference, Mrs Coker-Odusote said the NIN enrolment exercise remains ongoing across urban and rural areas, with an aggressive drive to expand the reach before the end of the year. “We have enrolled many Nigerians and are still counting. We are definitely going to continue until we capture more Nigerians before year-end,” she said. According to the NIMC boss, the agency’s partnership with…

No fewer than 138 Nigerians have lost their lives to Lassa fever between January and May 4, 2025, according to data released by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency, in its latest situation report, said a total of 717 confirmed cases were recorded out of 4,881 suspected infections across 18 states and 93 Local Government Areas. This reflects a case fatality rate of 19.3 per cent—higher than the 18 per cent recorded in the same period last year. Ondo, Taraba, and Bauchi states remain the hardest hit, accounting for 71 per cent of all confirmed cases.…

The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery, has declared that President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms are beginning to yield positive results, positioning Nigeria as a more attractive destination for foreign investment. Speaking during a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, Montgomery described Tinubu’s policies as “big and bold,” noting that recent moves such as the removal of fuel subsidy and unification of the exchange rate are laying the groundwork for long-term economic stability. “These economic reforms are paying off,” he said. “Nigeria is becoming more investible, and we are seeing increased interest from UK businesses and investors.” The envoy…

The Department of State Services (DSS) has filed a suit against political economist and former presidential candidate, Professor Pat Utomi, accusing him of attempting to establish a parallel government in Nigeria under the guise of a “shadow cabinet.” In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/937/2025 and filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja on May 13, the DSS is seeking a judicial declaration that Utomi’s actions constitute a threat to the 1999 Constitution and national security. The agency contends that the initiative amounts to an illegal attempt to undermine Nigeria’s constitutional democracy. The security agency, through its counsel Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN),…

Troops of the Nigerian Army, in a coordinated operation with the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), on Wednesday repelled an attack by suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters on a military base in Rann, Kala-Balge Local Government Area of Borno State. The insurgents, who reportedly disguised themselves as Fulani herders, launched the assault in the early hours of the day, targeting the Forward Operating Base (FOB) in the area. According to Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency expert reporting on the Lake Chad region, the attack was met with fierce resistance by the troops on ground, leading to a prolonged exchange…

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has admitted to a technical error that marred the conduct of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), affecting the results of 379,997 candidates across 157 centres nationwide. Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, disclosed that the board had traced the error to faulty server updates in its Lagos and Owerri zones, which led to the failure to upload candidates’ responses during the first three days of the examination. According to Oloyede, the discrepancy originated from one of the two technical service providers engaged for…

Twenty-one communities in Ogun West Senatorial District are poised to be reconnected to the national power grid after over a decade of total blackout, following the presentation of ₦54.8 million worth of electrical materials by Dangote Cement Plc. The donation, made on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, marks a critical milestone in addressing long-standing infrastructural neglect that has left thousands of households, small businesses, schools, and health centres in darkness for more than 10 years. The intervention, facilitated by the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Ogun West chapter, and backed by key legislative and traditional stakeholders, is set to bring…