Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has said its ongoing enforcement operations were aimed at protecting Nigerians, not to disrupt trade. “What we are doing in Lagos, Aba, and Onitsha should not be politicised. We are protecting lives, not destroying trade. We cannot prioritise trade over human lives. These operations will continue to ensure public safety,” NAFDAc boss, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, told journalists on Saturday in Lagos. He also urged against politicising the agency’s operations in statement obviously aimed at Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of Labour Party who had earlier in the week accused…

Former military president General Ibrahim Babangida has opened up about the circumstances that led to the overthrow of Major General Muhammadu Buhari’s government in 1985, shedding light on the pivotal events that shaped Nigeria’s history. In his latest memoir, ‘A Journey in Service’, Babangida attributed the decision to remove Buhari to the former head of state’s authoritarian style and the deteriorating state of the nation under his leadership. Babangida described Buhari and his deputy, Brigadier Tunde Idiagbon, as adopting a “holier-than-thou” attitude, which alienated both the military and civilian populace alike. “The change in leadership became imperative as a response…

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, has emphasized the necessity for a strategic alliance between the northern and south-south regions of Nigeria to address the nation’s pressing challenges. This call came during his condolence visit to the family of the late elder statesman Edwin Clark, renowned for his advocacy in the Niger Delta, who passed away on February 17. El-Rufai highlighted the historical political partnership between the north and south-south in past decades, stressing that reviving this alliance is crucial for the country’s salvation amidst current complexities. “In the 60s, 70s, and 80s, the traditional political partners of the north…

The controversy over the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election has reignited as Sadiq Abacha, son of late military ruler Sani Abacha, hit back at former military president Ibrahim Babangida over claims in his newly released autobiography. Babangida, in his book A Journey in Service, launched in Abuja on Thursday, suggested that Abacha led the forces that ultimately scuttled Nigeria’s most historic election. According to him, the announcement of the annulment was made by his deputy’s press secretary without his knowledge or permission, and he later found that the cancellation was masterminded by his then Chief of Defence…

The Uyo zonal directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a legal practitioner, Alexander Uchenna Ozougwu, for allegedly defrauding victims of N1,323,850,000 through a fraudulent foreign exchange investment scheme. Ozougwu was arraigned on Monday before Justice Sergius Onah of the Federal High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on six-count charges bordering on obtaining money by false pretence. The alleged offences contravene provisions of Section 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022. According to a statement released by the EFCC on Friday, the defendant pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to…

In a startling incident earlier this week, Assistant Superintendent of Immigration (ASI) Christian Oladimeji became the unintended victim of a police firearm discharge during what authorities describe as a chaotic confrontation in the heart of Minna. According to a detailed report from Zagazola Makama, a specialized publication covering counter-insurgency efforts around the Lake Chad region, the incident unfolded at approximately 12:30 PM on February 21st. A routine surveillance patrol led by Ibrahim Paiko of the ‘A’ Division Police Command was abruptly disrupted near the Obasanjo complex. The officers had responded to reports of suspected stolen iron rods, purportedly abandoned by…

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says over 11,000 shops have been sealed and 40 individuals arrested in its ongoing nationwide clampdown on fake and substandard medicines. NAFDAC’s director-general, Mojisola Adeyeye, disclosed to journalists in Lagos on Saturday that the enforcement was planned over a year as covert operations. NAFDAC, on February 10, commenced enforcement operations at the Idumota open drugs market, Ariaria drug market in Aba and Bridge market in Onitsha. According to the agency, the enforcement operations at the three markets, which are the hub of distributions of over 80 per cent…

The police in Ogun have confirmed that a 19-year-old boy, Oluwaferanmi Olasupo, drowned on Friday in an abandoned quarry pool near Eseke Village in the Odeda Local Government Area of the state. The command’s spokesperson, CSP Omolola Odutola, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday in Abeokuta. According to Ms Odutola, Sunday Olaseinde, the victim’s grandfather, reported the incident at the divisional police station at about 6:39 p.m. on Friday. The command’s spokesperson stated that, upon receiving the information, law enforcement officers and a surveillance team swiftly mobilised to the scene to rescue the victim. However, she revealed that…

The children of the late Chief MKO Abiola, Abdulmumuni Abiola and Hafsat Abiola-Costello, have responded to former military ruler Gen. Ibrahim Babangida’s recent acknowledgment that their father won the June 12, 1993, presidential election. Their reactions underscore the enduring impact of the annulled election on their family and the nation. Gen. Babangida, speaking at the launch of his autobiography A Journey in Service, publicly expressed remorse over the annulment of what has been widely hailed as Nigeria’s freest and fairest poll. He acknowledged the turmoil caused by the decision, which derailed Nigeria’s transition to democracy and sparked nationwide unrest. In…

A Lagos-based medical practitioner, Dr. Femi Olaleye, has reportedly absconded to the United Kingdom following a series of legal maneuvers and accusations stemming from a high-profile sexual assault case. PLATFORM TIMES reports that originally sentenced to life imprisonment in 2023 by a Lagos Sexual Offences Court for defilement and sexual violence against a minor, Olaleye’s conviction was recently overturned by the Court of Appeal in November 2024, sparking controversy and renewed legal actions. According to reports from the Centre Against Injustice and Domestic Violence, Dr. Olaleye’s escape coincided with the Lagos State Government’s decision to appeal his acquittal at the…