Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The Federal Government has announced plans to introduce Lenacapavir, a long-acting injectable drug for the prevention of HIV, into Nigeria in March 2026, in a move health authorities say could significantly strengthen the country’s fight against new infections. The development was disclosed by the National Agency for the Control of AIDS, which confirmed that the breakthrough medication has secured regulatory approval from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control. In a statement issued on Monday by its Head of Public Relations, Toyin Aderibigbe, NACA said the government was advancing preparations for the rollout of Lenacapavir as Pre-Exposure…

The Nigerian Air Force has said its fighter jets have killed several senior terrorist commanders and destroyed key insurgent infrastructure during coordinated airstrikes in the Sambisa Forest, Borno State. The operation, conducted under the Joint Task Force of Operation Hadin Kai, targeted identified terrorist enclaves in the Yuwe general area of the Sambisa Forest axis on February 28, 2026. In a statement on Monday, the NAF spokesperson, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, said the mission was intelligence-driven and followed days of surveillance. He explained that confirmatory Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance flights had earlier uncovered structures believed to be hideouts for top…

The Federal Government has approved a total of N48bn for the rehabilitation and upgrade of engineering faculties in 12 selected universities across the country, allocating N4bn to each institution under a special high-impact intervention scheme. Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, disclosed this on Monday during the inauguration of the Implementation Committee for the Tertiary Education Trust Fund Special High-Impact Intervention Projects in Abuja. The minister said the intervention targets engineering and technology faculties in Federal Universities of Technology and selected conventional universities, with a focus on rehabilitating workshops, upgrading laboratories and procuring modern, industry-relevant equipment. The benefiting institutions include the…

The family of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has dismissed as false allegations by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission that sophisticated phone-tapping equipment was recovered from his Abuja residence. In a statement issued on Monday by his son, Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, who represents Kaduna North Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, the family described the claim as a “blatant lie” and accused the anti-graft agency of waging a media trial. The commission had earlier announced that it recovered devices allegedly capable of intercepting conversations, as well as sensitive security documents, during a search at…

The Editor of Platform Times, Daud Olatunji, has  delivered a compelling lecture to mass communication students at D.S. Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic, offering insights into the evolving challenges and opportunities in contemporary journalism. Under the theme, “Practical Steps Towards Combating Challenges in Journalistic Endeavours,” the event, tagged “A Day With the Pen Professional,” attracted students, lecturers, and the leadership of  the polytechnic to the  campus along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, Itori. During the lecture, Olatunji dissected the impact of digital transformation on journalism, noting that while technology has broadened audience reach and storytelling tools, it has also heightened risks such as misinformation,…

Fawaz Adebisi The Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba (Dr.) Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, Okukenu IV, has thrown his full weight behind PLATFORM TIMES as the publication prepares to host its own celebration marking the 50th anniversary of Ogun State. The endorsement came during a visit by the PLATFORM TIMES Board of Trustees to the Ake Palace, where the revered monarch expressed enthusiasm for the publication’s plans to host a dedicated celebration of the milestone, joining the Ogun State Government’s series of activities marking the historic occasion throughout February 2026. The team, headed by former President of the Freelancers and…

The Progressives Muslim Clerics in Ogun State have formally inaugurated their leadership and endorsed Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as “Yayi,” as their preferred candidate for the 2027 governorship election. The endorsement was made during the group’s Ramadan Lecture in Abeokuta, where Dr. Izhaq Salako, Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, called on Muslims to pray for the nation’s leaders and to prioritize character in choosing political officeholders. Speaking to newsmen, Salako said: “Our first agenda is to pray for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and all leaders working at the federal, state, and local levels for peace…

..Lawmakers Allege Plot To Handpick Candidates …Backdoor Negotiations With Rival Parties Intensify …Ruling Party Weighs Late Primaries To Block Exits Daud Olatunji Fresh cracks have emerged within the ruling All Progressives Congress as political actors intensify calculations ahead of the 2027 general elections, with several federal and state lawmakers reportedly opening talks with opposition parties over fears of losing return tickets. Findings by PLATFORM TIMES indicate that aggrieved legislators within the APC have initiated discreet negotiations with the Peoples Democratic Party, African Democratic Congress and the Labour Party in anticipation of a bruising primary season. The anxiety is coming on…

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Joash Amupitan, has assured Nigerians that the technical hitches that undermined the electronic transmission of results during the 2023 general election have been fully resolved ahead of the 2027 polls. Amupitan gave the assurance on Saturday while speaking at a citizens’ town hall on the Electoral Act 2026 held in Abuja, declaring that the commission had overhauled its technological framework to prevent a recurrence of the failure that trailed the upload of polling unit results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal. The malfunction of the IReV portal during the 2023 presidential election…

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, has defended the inclusion of both manual and electronic transmission of election results in the amended Electoral Act, saying the decision was taken to prevent voter disenfranchisement and deepen participation ahead of the 2027 general elections. Abbas said relying solely on real-time electronic transmission would exclude millions of Nigerians due to inadequate internet penetration and persistent power supply challenges across the country. The Speaker spoke at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja when he hosted the Spanish Ambassador to Nigeria, Felix Costales, during a courtesy visit over the weekend. According to…