Author: Platform Times Newspaper

… Ogun, Oyo, Ondo, Osun, Ekiti Residents Decry Poor Roads, Health, Education. Daud Olatunji  Despite receiving massive monthly allocations from the federation account, residents of Ogun, Ekiti, Ondo, Osun, and Oyo states continue to grapple with poor living standards, limited infrastructure, and persistent poverty, a review of 2025 allocations by PLATFORM TIMES reveals. According to data obtained by PLATFORM TIMES from budgIT portal, the total net allocations to these five Southwest states over the first eleven months of 2025 amounted to ₦621,099,811,704.86, with Ogun State receiving ₦111,900,979,862.83 being  the fifth highest among the states, yet one of the worst-hit in…

The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to fiscal discipline and financial accountability as it intensifies efforts to protect depositors and strengthen confidence in the nation’s banking system. Managing Director/Chief Executive of the NDIC, Mr. Thompson Oludare Sunday, disclosed this during a courtesy visit to the Managing Director of the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI), Dr. Armstrong Takang, in Abuja. The visit forms part of NDIC’s ongoing engagement with key stakeholders following Mr. Sunday’s assumption of office in July 2025. Mr. Sunday emphasized that the NDIC strictly adheres to fiscal and financial regulations, including the provisions…

 Political heavyweights in Rivers State have underlined Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s dependence on former Governor and current FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, for electoral success in Gokana Local Government Area. Victor Giadom, national vice chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), South-South, made the assertion on Tuesday during Wike’s “thank you” visit to the people of Gokana. He described Wike as the indisputable political authority in the area, stressing that no candidate, including Governor Fubara, could bypass the minister’s influence. “I guarantee, on behalf of my brothers, that the Gokana people are for Wike and President Bola Tinubu. Gokana is a no-go…

The Nigerian Army has arrested two suspects in connection with the Christmas Eve bombing of a mosque at Gamboru Market, Maiduguri, which left five worshippers dead and 32 others injured. The attack, carried out by a suicide bomber who detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) inside the mosque, has been linked to terrorist groups including Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS), Ansaru, and Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), according to counter-insurgency sources monitored by the publication, Zagazola Makama. Investigations revealed that a Boko Haram cell led by notorious IED expert Munzir Abu Ziyadah had planned multiple attacks across Maiduguri, preparing…

The Lagos State Government has arrested no fewer than 45 beggars during coordinated enforcement and mop-up operations across major parts of the metropolis, reiterating its zero-tolerance stance on street begging. The arrests, carried out by environmental enforcement teams, took place in Alimosho, Agege and Oshodi as part of routine compliance activities aimed at restoring order and safety to public spaces. The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed the development on Tuesday through his official X (formerly Twitter) handle, noting that the exercise was part of sustained efforts by the state to rid roads and public…

At least two persons have been confirmed dead, while several others sustained severe injuries following a fireworks explosion during a Christmas carnival in Umuchu, Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State. The tragic incident occurred at the weekend near the main stage of the carnival venue, throwing the festive gathering into panic as revellers scampered for safety amid deafening blasts and thick smoke. Eyewitnesses said cartons containing fireworks, allegedly meant to be disposed of at the venue, suddenly exploded, triggering chaos and leaving many guests with severe burns and deep cuts. One of the victims, identified simply as Ugochi, was…

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has declared that Rivers State residents will not repeat what he described as past political mistakes ahead of the 2027 general elections, signalling an early commencement of political mobilisation in the state. Wike made the remark on Tuesday during a visit to Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State, where he announced that political activities would formally begin in January 2026. The immediate past governor of the oil-rich state cautioned the people against making political choices they could later regret, warning that such decisions often come with consequences. “We won’t make…

President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed that the Federal Government will proceed with the implementation of the new tax laws from January 1, 2026, declaring that there is “no going back” despite mounting objections and public debates across the country. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the President said the reforms were not designed to impose additional tax burdens on Nigerians but to harmonise the tax system, eliminate inefficiencies and strengthen the nation’s fiscal framework. Tinubu acknowledged that the new tax regime has generated agitations in some quarters but maintained that no substantial issue had been raised to justify suspending or…

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the remand of a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, and a co-defendant at the Kuje Correctional Centre, pending the hearing of their bail applications. The trial judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, gave the order on Tuesday after declining to grant the defendants bail on oral application by their counsel, Joseph Daudu (SAN). Justice Nwite held that although the court has the discretion to grant bail, it would be contrary to the interest of justice to do so without hearing from the…

A former Deputy Minority Leader of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Hon. Lukman Atobatele, on Tuesday defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing internal crises and lack of clear direction within the opposition party. His defection followed earlier defection of a former  member of the PDP from Ijebu-North, Rasheed Kashamu who defected to APC from PDP. Announcing his defection, Atobatele, who represents Abeokuta South State Constituency I, disclosed  his defection in a letter read during plenary by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Oludaisi Elemide. According to the letter, the lawmaker attributed his decision…