Author: Platform Times Newspaper

A Professor of Financial Mathematics, Obi-Nnamdi Agwuegbo, has blamed Nigeria’s protracted economic challenges on the failure of successive governments to embrace statistical reasoning in policy formulation and national planning. Agwuegbo, who delivered the 102nd Inaugural Lecture of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) on Wednesday, maintained that without data-driven strategies, the nation’s developmental aspirations would remain a mirage. The lecture, themed “Statistical Reasoning: A Panacea for National Development”, was held at the Prof. Oluwafemi Balogun Ceremonial Building on campus. According to Agwuegbo, who is a professor of Stochastic Modelling in the Department of Statistics, College of Physical Sciences (COLPHYS),…

The Federal Government, on Wednesday, issued a stern warning to Nigerians over the dangers of excessive salt consumption, rebuking recent controversial claims by the founder of Christ Embassy, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, who urged followers to embrace more salt in their diets. In a viral video posted on social media, Oyakhilome alleged that Africans were being manipulated into avoiding salt so they could become dependent on sodium-based pharmaceutical products. He claimed salt was beneficial and that health advisories against its intake were part of a broader conspiracy. But the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare swiftly countered the cleric’s claims,…

An Ilorin High Court was gripped with emotion on Wednesday as the father of late Hafsoh Lawal broke down in tears upon identifying his daughter’s severed hands during a murder trial involving AbdulRahman Bello, the suspected “Facebook killer-lover.” The court, presided over by Justice Hannah Ajayi, became overwhelmed with the stench of decomposing human parts tendered as exhibits by the prosecution in the ongoing murder case against Bello, an Ilorin-based Islamic cleric accused of killing and dismembering Lawal in February 2025. The police prosecution team presented the remains, which included Hafsoh’s hands recovered from a dumpsite, before calling on her…

Presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, has taken a swipe at Nobel Laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka, legal luminary Femi Falana (SAN), pastor Tunde Bakare, and other leaders of the 2012 #OccupyNigeria protests. Obi accused  them of selective activism and turning a blind eye to the current economic hardship under President Bola Tinubu. The firmer governor of Anambra state, made the comments on Wednesday during a memorial lecture in honour of elder statesman and Ijaw leader, the late Chief Edwin Clark. He hailed Clark as a patriotic Nigerian who made sacrifices for national progress, while…

A tragic incident struck Ogidi community in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State as four siblings were confirmed dead following a suspected case of food poisoning, with their mother currently battling for her life in critical condition at a local hospital. The unfortunate event occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, May 6, 2025, and was confirmed by the Anambra State Police Command on Wednesday. Spokesperson of the Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, in a statement, said officers from the Ogidi Police Division responded swiftly to a distress call from the victims’ residence. Upon arrival, they discovered the lifeless…

More than 30 per cent of annual deaths in Nigeria are now linked to diet-related diseases such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular conditions, according to a new report by the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA). The report, titled Junk on Our Plates: Exposing Deceptive Marketing of Unhealthy Foods Across Seven States in Nigeria, was launched on Tuesday by CAPPA’s Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, during a media briefing in Lagos. Oluwafemi said that Nigeria is witnessing a dangerous shift in its dietary habits, with traditional nutrient-rich meals being replaced by highly processed, sugar-laden, and nutrient-poor foods aggressively promoted…

Traders at the Maboreje Market, also known as Pelewura Extension, located in the Lagos Island Local Government Area, have decried prolonged neglect and non-compensation by the Lagos State Government following the demolition of their shops in November 2024. The demolition exercise, which affected over 5,000 shops, was carried out without prior notice, according to several affected traders, leaving thousands of business owners stranded and struggling to survive. Speaking, Mr. Olasunkanmi Adejare, who represented his aged mother—a shop owner at the market—said that despite assurances from a local government official, Mr. Isaka Babatunde, that compensation would be paid before demolition, nothing…

The Minister of Defence, Muhammad Badaru, on Wednesday disclosed that the Armed Forces neutralised 13,541 terrorists and arrested 17,469 criminals across the country between May 2023 and February 2025. Badaru, who made this known during a ministerial press briefing in Abuja, said the operations also led to the rescue of 9,821 kidnap victims, while 124,408 Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters and their families surrendered to troops within the period under review. He noted that the military recorded significant operational successes through both kinetic and non-kinetic strategies, restoring peace to previously ravaged communities, especially in the North-East and North-West. “Our troops…

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has knocked President Bola Tinubu’s newly approved ‘Nigeria First’ policy, describing it as a hollow public relations stunt with no real commitment from the top. In a statement released on Tuesday by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku challenged Tinubu to demonstrate genuine patriotism by swapping his luxurious Cadillac Escalade for a made-in-Nigeria vehicle such as Innoson or Nord. On May 5, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved the ‘Nigeria First’ policy, which mandates the prioritisation of locally manufactured goods and services in government procurement processes. The government says the move is aimed…

Feyisayo Ogunbiyi The House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government to subsidise the cost of cancer treatment and make cancer screening free for Nigerians, following alarming global statistics on cancer diagnoses. This resolution was passed during Wednesday’s plenary session after a motion was moved by Hon. Aderemi Oseni, who represents Oyo State. Oseni expressed grave concern over the rising number of cancer cases and the burden it places on citizens and the healthcare system. Citing recent data from the World Health Organization (WHO), Oseni noted that at least 40 people are diagnosed with cancer every minute globally. “The scourge…