Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested Prophet Adefolusho Aanu Olasele, General Overseer of The Turn of Mercy Church, Lagos, over alleged trafficking of nearly one tonne of cannabis from Ghana into Nigeria. Olasele, also known as Abbas Ajakaiye, was apprehended on Sunday, August 3, 2025, at the church’s premises on Ogombo Road, Okun Ajah, Lekki, after months on the run. NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, said in a statement that operatives waited for the evening service to end before moving in on the clergyman. The arrest followed two earlier seizures of “Ghana Loud” — a potent…

The National Youth Service Corps has dismissed reports that it withheld the Certificate of National Service (CNS) of a corps member, Ushie Rita Uguamaye, because of critical comments she allegedly made about the government. Uguamaye, whose service number is LA/24B/8325, recently went viral on social media after claiming she was being punished for expressing her views. The reports sparked widespread criticism, with some alleging political victimisation. However, in a statement on Sunday by its Acting Director of Information and Public Relations, Caroline Embu, the NYSC described the claims as misleading and false. “Rita is among the 131 corps members whose…

Former Ekiti State governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has dismissed claims by ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, that both of them jointly initiated the formation of an opposition coalition. Amaechi had, during a live discussion on X Space on Saturday, alleged that he and Fayemi began talks about creating the coalition before it expanded to include other politicians. “Fayemi and I began the coalition discussion, and we subsequently agreed to broaden it so that it would involve more than just the two of us talking about starting a new party,” Amaechi reportedly said. Reacting in a statement on Sunday through the…

The management of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta, has accused operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of unlawfully invading its premises in the early hours of Sunday, August 10, 2025. In a statement issued on Sunday, OOPL alleged that at about 2am, more than 50 heavily armed men, purportedly EFCC operatives led by one identified as “Olapade,” stormed the complex in what it described as a “Gestapo-like” operation. The men reportedly fired shots into the air, threatened to kill people, and caused panic that left several guests injured while attempting to flee. According to the…

The Federal Government has approved stringent penalties for anyone found guilty of leaking or attempting to leak internal documents, communications, or institutional data belonging to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), which will be renamed the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) from January 2026. The new tax legislation, recently signed into law, prescribes a fine of up to ₦5 million, a prison term of three years, or both, for offenders. The law classifies all internal records, memos, and communications of the Service as confidential, restricting their use strictly to tax administration and court-ordered disclosures. According to Part VI (Miscellaneous Provisions) of…

Former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido, has called on the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to expel the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike; former Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom; and former Abia State governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, over alleged acts of sabotage against the party. Lamido, who spoke during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, accused the trio of openly campaigning for the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the 2023 elections and vowing to work for the ruling party ahead of the 2027 polls. “All those erring members, the Wikes, the Ortoms, the…

The Director-General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), Mustafa Abdullahi, has defended the country’s continued electricity supply to neighbouring nations, insisting it is a strategic and economic necessity despite Nigeria’s lingering power deficit. Speaking in an interview, Abdullahi said Nigeria currently generates, transmits and distributes 6,000 megawatts — a notable rise from the 4,000 megawatts produced before 2023 — yet over 85 million Nigerians still lack access to electricity. He attributed the shortfall partly to outdated infrastructure, heavy reliance on gas (86 per cent) and hydro (12 per cent) sources, and slow adoption of renewable energy, despite Nigeria’s abundant…

Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has sacked two senior aides following damning revelations from separate investigative panels linking them to the controversial bail of a suspected drug kingpin and the diversion of palliative grains meant for vulnerable residents. The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Umar Farouk Ibrahim, announced the decision in a statement on Saturday, saying the governor’s action was in line with his administration’s zero-tolerance stance on corruption. Abubakar Umar Sharada, Senior Special Assistant on Political Mobilisation, was dismissed after a special committee found him to be the “mastermind” behind securing bail for alleged notorious…

The management of Legacy FM 95.1, a private radio station in Ebonyi State, has suspended its Acting General Manager, Godfrey Chikwere, over alleged “unruly behaviour” and violation of the station’s code of conduct. The suspension, announced on-air on Saturday, came days after Mr Chikwere openly criticised Governor Francis Nwifuru’s administration during radio broadcasts and on his social media pages. “The management of Legacy FM… hereby suspends the acting general manager, Godfrey Chikwere, with immediate effect till further notice,” the station’s announcement read. “This is due to unruly behaviour and disobedience to the code of conduct guiding the Legacy FM. He…

The Ogun State chapter of the Theatre Arts and Motion Pictures Practitioners Association of Nigeria (TAMPAN) has extolled the lawmaker representing Ogun West Senatorial District, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, describing him as a “true leader of the people” on the occasion of his birthday. In a congratulatory message jointly signed by the state governor of the association, Comrade Owolabi Yekuola Ajasa, and its secretary, Rev. Adesegun Emmanuel Adesina, TAMPAN commended the senator’s “unwavering support, generosity, and commitment” to the empowerment of Ogun residents and the creative industry. The group said Yayi’s contributions to the growth of…