Author: Platform Times Newspaper

In a strategic move to bolster international cooperation against illicit drug trafficking, Nigeria and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at enhancing operational collaboration in narcotics control. The agreement, which marks a significant milestone in bilateral relations between both nations, was signed in Riyadh by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and Saudi Arabia’s General Directorate of Narcotics Control (GDNC). Speaking at the signing ceremony, the NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), described the pact as long overdue, noting that it builds on nearly two decades of informal collaboration between…

Tensions have escalated within the Labour Party ahead of a proposed National Executive Committee meeting convened by former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, as the party’s National Chairman, Julius Abure, issued a stern warning on Monday, declaring unequivocally that there is “no vacancy” in the party’s leadership structure. Addressing a press conference at the party’s national secretariat, Abure lashed out at Obi and Otti, branding their actions as acts of betrayal and internal sabotage. He maintained that his chairmanship remains valid and grounded in the party’s constitutional framework, stressing that no faction or external pressure…

A mysterious thunderstrike on Sunday killed no fewer than eight cows in the Ori-Ohin community of Ifon, Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State, sparking fresh concerns over continued violations of the state’s anti-open grazing law by suspected Fulani herders. Eyewitnesses and community leaders attributed the incident to alleged spiritual retaliation following the repeated invasion of farmlands by herders, despite multiple warnings and state legislation prohibiting open grazing. A viral video circulating online on Monday showed the lifeless bodies of the cows scattered across a farmland believed to have been desecrated. Community sources claimed the land had been leased to…

The Association of Nigerian Broadcasters (ANBROAD) has paid glowing tributes to two eminent Nigerians—former Oyo State Governor, Dr. Omololu Olunloyo, and prominent politician, Alhaji Yekeen Sherif Adeojo—who recently passed away, describing their deaths as monumental losses to the nation. Dr. Olunloyo, a distinguished mathematician, engineer, technocrat, and revered public servant, died on April 6, 2025, just days before his 90th birthday. ANBROAD described him as a towering figure whose lifetime of contributions to academia, governance, and national development left indelible marks. In a condolence message signed by the association’s National Secretary General, Dr. Sola Gbayisomore, and released by its Corporate…

Balqees Adeniji As part of his continued effort to uplift residents amid rising economic challenges, the Okanlomo of Igbehin and founder of the Toyin Amuzu Foundation, Chief Toyin Amuzu, has distributed 100 Point of Sales (POS) machines, startup capital, business kiosks, and registration certificates to small business owners in Abeokuta South Local Government Area of Ogun State. The initiative, which aims to promote financial inclusion and entrepreneurship, was widely applauded by beneficiaries and community stakeholders, who described it as a timely intervention in the face of Nigeria’s economic realities. The Youth Leader of the PDP in the state, Oyejide Sunkanmi…

Daud Olatunji A real estate firm, Obatob Properties Limited, has threatened legal action against the Ogun State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Oluwasina Ogungbade (SAN), over what it described as a defamatory press conference that allegedly tarnished its corporate image. The demand was contained in a letter dated April 4, 2025, and issued by Palmstars Solicitors on behalf of Obatob Properties. The letter referenced the Attorney General’s widely reported press conference of April 3, 2025, during which the company was allegedly portrayed as fraudulent and accused of colluding with land grabbers. In the media briefing, which received prominent…

The Federal Government has declared a nationwide “bridge emergency” and is set to deploy robotic machines to inspect underwater portions of bridges across Nigeria, in a decisive move to enhance infrastructure safety and reduce maintenance costs. Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, made the disclosure on Sunday during a stakeholders’ meeting on Section 2 of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project. Umahi said the Federal Government had concluded plans to acquire high-tech robotic diving machines to replace the current method of hiring human divers for underwater assessments, which he described as “unsustainable and expensive.” “We are going to locate a robotic…

The Senate has rejected claims that it merely rubber-stamps decisions from the executive arm of government, insisting that its legislative actions reflect thoughtful deliberation and national interest. Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Publicity, Yemi Adaramodu, made this known during an interactive session with journalists over the weekend at his Ilawe-Ekiti country home in Ekiti State. Adaramodu, who represents Ekiti South Senatorial District, said the current National Assembly is committed to productive engagement with other arms of government without surrendering its independence. “What is the meaning of being a rubber stamp?” he queried. “Does it mean that if…

No fewer than 156 Nigerians have died and 1,858 others infected by Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM) across 23 states since the start of the current meningitis season, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has disclosed. In its latest CSM situation report, the NCDC warned that the outbreak remains active in several high-burden states, with Kebbi, Sokoto, and Katsina leading the grim tally. Kebbi alone accounts for 881 suspected cases—almost half of the national total—followed by Sokoto with 303 and Katsina with 158. The Centre revealed that 10 states currently account for 94 per cent of all suspected cases, listing…

The national leadership of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees has thrown its weight behind the sit-at-home directive issued by the Osun State chapter of the union to all local government workers, citing security concerns amid a deepening political crisis. The directive follows violent clashes between members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party and the opposition All Progressives Congress over the control of the 30 local government councils in the state. The escalating tension has reportedly led to loss of lives, prompting the union to order workers to stay off duty indefinitely. The National President of NULGE, Comrade Aliyu…