Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The Federal Government has dismissed claims that it spent more than ₦8 trillion outside the 2026 Appropriation Act, insisting that the allegation is a distortion of the International Monetary Fund’s 2026 Article IV Consultation Report. The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, in a statement issued on Sunday, described the reports as inaccurate and misleading, stressing that the Federal Government does not operate a “shadow budget” or expend public funds outside constitutional and legislative approval. The clarification followed widespread reactions to comments by the IMF Resident Representative in Nigeria, Christian Ebeke, who stated that government…

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested a 67-year-old Nigerian-British woman, Mrs Mary Yetunde Barek, for allegedly attempting to smuggle 13 kilograms of cocaine concealed in fake plantain peels through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos. The agency said the suspect, a United Kingdom-based caregiver, was intercepted at the departure hall of Terminal 2 while preparing to board a Virgin Atlantic flight to London on June 28, 2026. According to a statement issued on Sunday by the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, officers discovered 31 large wraps of cocaine ingeniously packaged to resemble fresh plantain…

The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta has raised the alarm over what it described as the illegal encroachment and sale of portions of its land by suspected land grabbers, warning members of the public against purchasing any property from the individuals. The university said the encroachers had not only laid claim to parts of its land but had also demolished sections of its perimeter fence and removed official signboards erected to warn prospective buyers that the property was not for sale. In a public advisory issued by the institution’s Registrar, Dr. T. A. Adeniyi, on Sunday, FUNAAB disclosed that the…

Ayomide Awe The Lisa of Imeko, Chief Paul Adesina Adejobi, on Saturday celebrated his 80th birthday with the public presentation of his autobiography, Lisa in Time of Service, as eminent traditional rulers, political leaders and dignitaries paid glowing tributes to his decades of public service and community development. The event, held at Legacy Hall, Abeokuta Sports Club, Ibara, attracted a host of prominent personalities, including the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Iziaq Salako; former Ogun State Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel; the Convener of The Alternative Movement, Otunba Segun Showunmi; the Onimeko of Imeko, Oba Benjamin Olagbite; the Olu of…

The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency has warned that Nigeria could witness more devastating floods over the next 12 weeks, cautioning that the current flooding ravaging Lagos and other parts of the country marks only the beginning of what could become a more severe rainy season. The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NiHSA, Umar Mohammed, said the flooding witnessed in Lagos last week did not come as a surprise, insisting that the agency had predicted the disaster months earlier but its warnings were largely ignored by relevant authorities. Speaking through the agency’s Head of Geographic Information System and Remote Sensing,…

The Federal Government has launched a N10bn healthcare intervention programme aimed at improving access to quality medical services for about 45 million Nigerians across the country. The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, disclosed this on Saturday during the distribution of medical equipment, ambulances, drugs and other consumables at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital in Bauchi State. Pate said the intervention, being implemented in partnership with state governments, forms part of the Federal Government’s broader efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare system, improve service delivery and address gaps in human resources for health. According…

Former Ogun State First Lady, Yeye Olufunke Daniel, has been thrown into mourning following the death of her mother, Chief Mrs. Sabainah Ibironke Opawole (née Osoba), who passed away at the age of 93. PLATFORM TIMES gathered that the respected matriarch died peacefully on Thursday, July 2, 2026, after a brief illness. Her passing has plunged both the Opawole and Daniel families into grief, with tributes pouring in from political associates, community leaders, family friends and well-wishers across Ogun State and beyond. In a statement issued by the family, the late Opawole was described as a devout Christian, a respected…

Some Nigerians who declined the Federal Government’s voluntary evacuation from South Africa have reportedly armed themselves for self-defence amid renewed xenophobic attacks targeting foreign nationals. The development comes as tensions continue to rise following the expiration of an unofficial June 30 ultimatum issued by anti-immigrant groups demanding that undocumented foreigners leave South Africa. A video circulating on social media on Saturday showed two opposing groups, believed to be Nigerians and South African protesters, confronting each other across a makeshift boundary marked with ropes while police officers stood between them to prevent violence. In the footage, some of the Nigerians were…

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has raised fresh concerns over the worsening security situation in the Lake Chad Basin, revealing that more than 3.5 million people have been forcibly displaced across Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria as violence continues to devastate communities. The agency warned that the region is nearing a “dangerous tipping point,” with escalating attacks by armed groups, rising humanitarian needs and shrinking access to affected populations threatening to deepen one of Africa’s longest-running displacement crises. Speaking during a press briefing in Geneva on Friday, UNHCR Deputy Director for the West and Central Africa Bureau, Andrew…

The victims of the deadly abduction during a church crusade in Ekiti State have regained their freedom after spending about two months in captivity, with members of the affected community revealing that they raised and paid N25.5 million to secure their release. PLATFORM TIMES reports that the worshippers were abducted on April 28, 2026, when suspected gunmen invaded a crusade organised by the Christ Apostolic Church in Eda-Oniyo community, Ilejemeje Local Government Area of Ekiti State. One of the abducted worshippers was reportedly killed during the ordeal. The victims were received on Saturday and immediately taken to the Ekiti State…