Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, has suspended all political appointees and officeholders in the state with immediate effect, citing executive powers granted by President Bola Tinubu. A statement issued on Wednesday by the Chief of Staff to the Sole Administrator confirmed that the suspension affects key government officials, including the Secretary to the State Government, the Chief of Staff, all commissioners, chairpersons, and members of boards, agencies, commissions, and parastatals. Additionally, all Special Advisers, Special Assistants, and Senior Special Assistants were also relieved of their duties. “This suspension takes effect from Wednesday, March 26,…

The Federal Government has declared Monday, March 31, and Tuesday, April 1, as public holidays to mark this year’s Eid-el-Fitr celebration. The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced this in a statement on Wednesday, signed by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Magdalene Ajani. Tunji-Ojo congratulated Muslims across the country on the successful completion of Ramadan and urged them to uphold the virtues of self-discipline, compassion, generosity, and peace. “The minister calls on Muslims to embrace love, forgiveness, and solidarity, emphasizing their importance in fostering a harmonious society,” the statement read. He also encouraged Nigerians to use the occasion to pray for…

In a bold legislative push for greater accountability, the House of Representatives has advanced a bill seeking to strip the vice president, governors, and their deputies of immunity from prosecution while in office. The proposed constitutional amendment, sponsored by Solomon Bob, a lawmaker from Rivers State under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), passed its second reading during plenary on Wednesday. Bob argued that the bill aims to enhance transparency and accountability in governance by removing the legal shield currently granted to the affected officials under Section 308 of the Nigerian Constitution. The section protects the president, vice president, governors, and…

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has expressed satisfaction with his decision to select Ifeanyi Okowa as his running mate for the 2023 presidential election, despite speculations favouring Nyesom Wike. Atiku, who spoke during an interview on Untold Stories with Adesuwa, reiterated that his choice aligned with the recommendations of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leadership. In June 2022, Atiku announced Okowa, the former governor of Delta state, as his vice-presidential candidate following his victory in the PDP primary. This decision sparked mixed reactions, especially from supporters of Wike, who emerged second in the primaries. Wike, known for his influential role in…

The Ota Magistrates’ Court in Ogun  State, has sentenced Monsuru Dada, 64, and one Idown Dada, 41, to one year in prison each for collecting N1.1 million from a land buyer,  Emowe Godfrey under false pretence. The convicts pleaded not guilty to the three-count charge of obtaining money under false pretence, fraud and stealing. In her ruling, the magistrate, O.O. Fadairo, sentenced each of the convicts to one year in prison with an option of N50,000. Ms Fadairo also directed them to restitute N1.1 million to the complainant. Earlier, the prosecutor, E.O.Adaraloye, told the court that the convicts committed the…

The House of Representatives has passed four bills seeking the creation of new states, including Ijebu State from Ogun State, through the second reading stage. The bills, part of an ongoing constitutional amendment exercise by the 10th Assembly, were presented during plenary on Wednesday by the House Leader, Rep. Julius Ihonvbere, and seconded by the House Minority Leader, Rep. Kingsley Chinda. The proposed states are Ijebu, Oke-Ogun, Ife-Ijesa, Tiga, Orlu, and Etiti. The bill proposing Ijebu State aims to carve out the Ijebu and Remo regions from Ogun State. PLATFORM TIMES reports that it was introduced as “A Bill for…

The Ogun State government has confirmed an outbreak of Lassa fever following the death of a 25-year-old female National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member. The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, announced the development on Wednesday, stating that the deceased corps member, who had fallen ill in Ondo State, was brought to a government health facility in Ijebu North Local Government Area on March 18 and sadly passed away the same day. Dr. Coker described Lassa fever as a viral hemorrhagic disease that manifests with symptoms such as high-grade fever, headache, general body weakness, sore throat, muscle pain, cough, nausea,…

The Rivers State Police Command has arrested four suspects, including a native doctor and a teenage girl, for their alleged involvement in the ritual killing of two siblings, Chizaram Onuche and Chidinma Onuche, in the Ogbodo Pipeline area of Rukpokwu, Obio-Akpor Local Government Area. The victims, both seven years old, were reportedly drugged, raped, and murdered, with their blood drained for ritual purposes. The suspects, identified as Aniekan Sunday Uko, Luis John Uwelemele, Kingsley Opurum, and Friday Silas, were apprehended following an investigation by the police Anti-Kidnapping Unit. Confirming the arrests, the spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, SP…

A woman in Onitsha, Anambra State, Mrs. MaryCynthia Ogechukwu Nnanyelugo, has raised the alarm over the prolonged disappearance of her husband, Hyginus Arinze Nnanyelugo, who was abducted by gunmen  nine months ago, July 11, 2024. PLATFORM TIMES reports that Mrs. Nnanyelugo, in a desperate plea, called on security agencies to intensify efforts in locating her husband, who was last seen before armed men forced him into a tricycle and sped away. Despite lodging a formal complaint with the Fegge Police Division the following day, she lamented that there has been no significant progress in tracing his whereabouts. The victim was…

Daud Olatunji Sixteen years after the dramatic fall of Oceanic Bank, its former Managing Director and CEO, Dr. Cecilia Ibru, has finally spoken out, shedding light on the controversial events that led to the bank’s downfall. Ibru, Nigeria’s first female bank MD, recounted her journey at the helm of one of the country’s biggest financial institutions in two newly launched books—Cecilia: The Autobiography of Cecilia Ibru and Oceanic Odyssey. She unveiled the books on Saturday at the MUSON Centre, Lagos, marking her 79th birthday with revelations about Oceanic Bank’s rise and its eventual collapse during the 2009 banking crisis. In…