Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The Nigerian Navy has successfully rescued 99 passengers after a market boat collided with a barge along the Bukuma River in Rivers State, averting what could have been a major maritime tragedy. The incident occurred near the Tuma area, about 300 metres from Naval Security Station NNS 35, along the route to Akuku-Toru Local Government Area. Commander of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder, Commodore Cajethan Aniaku, disclosed this in an official statement, commending the swift and coordinated response of naval operatives. According to him, the accident involved a market boat ferrying passengers and a barge on the river, but…

Daud Olatunji Controversial street-hop artiste, Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, has been convicted on a three-count charge and sentenced to three months imprisonment with an option of a N30,000 fine. The musician was found guilty by a Magistrate Court sitting in Ifo, Ogun State, for assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest. Portable was earlier arrested in March 2023 after he physically attacked a police inspector and obstructed officers while they attempted to serve him an arrest warrant. According to court proceedings, the charges read that Portable, along with others now at large, assaulted Inspector Hammed Moshood at Odogwu…

 Prominent Nigerian businesswoman and philanthropist, Mrs. Aisha Achimugu, returned to the country in the early hours of Monday, April 29, 2025, to honour an invitation from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) regarding an ongoing investigation. Mrs. Achimugu, who arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja around 5:00 am, proceeded directly to the EFCC headquarters to meet with officials of the Commission. Her return follows a formal invitation from the anti-graft agency dated March 4, 2025. In a statement issued by her legal representatives, Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN) and Chikaosolu Ojukwu (SAN), the businesswoman was said to have…

The installation of Oba Aminu Joshua Olawale, Adeoriokin I, as the Olu of Idanyin in Ogun State has ushered in a wave of progress and development for the ancient community, with remarkable impact across key sectors including road rehabilitation, education, religion, and health. Since his official recognition and coronation by the Ogun State Government, Oba Olawale has led an ambitious drive to reposition Idanyin for sustainable development. His efforts have earned widespread acclaim from indigenes, residents, and well-wishers of the town. In a recent address, the traditional ruler extended his profound appreciation to the Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo…

Balqees Adeniji Despite persistent food insecurity challenges across Ogun State, the government has committed over ₦90.6 billion to the agricultural sector between 2021 and 2025, findings by PLATFORM TIMES have revealed. An in-depth analysis of Ogun State’s annual budget documents shows that the government allocated a cumulative total of ₦90,648,941,415.17 to the Ministry of Agriculture and associated programmes within the five-year period. The breakdown reveals fluctuating year-on-year allocations with a sharp rise expected in 2025. In 2021, the state earmarked ₦13.4 billion for agriculture-related expenditures. This included ₦4.5 billion for the Ministry of Agriculture, ₦5.8 billion for the Ogun State…

Sterling Bank is at the centre of a storm over allegations of $122 million fraud and money laundering, following a disputed loan arrangement with Miden Systems Limited, a Lagos-based oil and gas company. The Nigeria Police, in a report dated January 14, 2025, accused the bank of financial impropriety, including fraudulent debits and misappropriation of funds, after investigating a petition forwarded to it by the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions. The controversy stems from a $30 million loan Sterling Bank granted Miden Systems in 2012 to execute a contract with Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC). According…

Veteran Juju musician, Chief Sunday Adeniyi Adegeye, popularly known as King Sunny Ade, has debunked claims that he was abducted, describing the allegations as false and malicious. The music icon’s daughter, Damilola Esther Adeniyi-Adegeye, had on Monday raised alarm via social media, alleging that her father was being held against his will by his stepson and manager, Dayo. She further claimed the 77-year-old was being made to “work under duress” while his whereabouts remained unknown to other family members. Reacting in an Instagram post on Monday, King Sunny Ade stated emphatically that he is “alive and well,” while dismissing the…

There was pandemonium at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) after gunmen stormed the facility to kill a physiotherapist identified as Alex in a suspected cult-related attack. Sources said the gunmen shot the health personnel while on duty within the department of physiotherapy of the hospital on Friday. According to one of the sources, the attack threw patients and staff into panic as they scampered for safety. In response, distraught health workers staged a protest within the hospital premises, wielding placards to decry the growing insecurity that has now spilt into health institutions. UBTH public relations officer, Joshua Uwaila,…

A sweeping reorganisation has hit the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), resulting in the immediate exit of several top-ranking officials. Among those affected are Bala Wunti, former Chief of the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS); Ibrahim Onoja, Managing Director of the Kaduna Refinery; and Lawal Sade, the company’s Chief Compliance Officer and a former Managing Director of NNPC Trading. The high-profile dismissals are said to be connected to ongoing internal restructuring at the state-owned oil firm. Industry sources said that the executives were considered close allies of Mele Kyari, who was relieved of his duties as Group Chief…

In a renewed effort to deepen Nigeria’s soft power diplomacy across Africa, the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps (NTAC) has deployed 35 medical professionals to Zanzibar, United Republic of Tanzania. Speaking during the official deployment exercise on Tuesday in Abuja, the Director-General of NTAC, Dr Yusuf Yakub, said the mission aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s directive to strengthen Nigeria’s foreign policy through soft power and professional exchange across African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries. “Today is a historic day for the Corps. In honour of President Tinubu’s directive and our shared African brotherhood, 35 TAC volunteers—doctors and nurses—are being sent to…