Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Telecom operations across Nigeria are facing imminent shutdown following a diesel supply crisis triggered by the ongoing strike of petrol tanker drivers. Tony Emoekpere, President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), issued a dire warning on Sunday, highlighting the severe impact of the strike on their infrastructure and operations. Mr. Emoekpere expressed grave concern over the disruption caused by the strike, which has paralyzed truck loading operations and fuel movements due to alleged harassment of tanker drivers by Lagos State police officers. This disruption, he emphasized, has critically affected telecom base stations and other…

Graduating with a first-class degree is a remarkable achievement, and for Mary Morayo James, it was a journey marked by hard work, dedication, sacrifice, and perseverance. In this interview with KOREDE BADMUS, Mary shares her experiences, challenges, and the strategies that helped her attain academic excellence. Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your journey toward earning a first-class degree in English and Literary Studies? My name is Mary Morayo James, and I recently graduated with a first-class degree in English and Literary Studies from the Federal University Oye-Ekiti. My journey to achieving this milestone was driven by…

Former Military Head of State, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (Rtd), has revealed harrowing details of his narrow escape from death during the infamous coup orchestrated by Major Gideon Orkar on April 22, 1990. In his memoir, “A Journey in Service,” Babangida recounts the tumultuous events that unfolded that fateful night at Dodan Barracks, describing the attack as a “rude shock” that threatened the very fabric of the nation. The coup, which caught Babangida unaware in the early hours of the morning, commenced with unprecedented troop movements that alarmed his wife, prompting her to alert him to the imminent danger. Recalling…

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has secured all chairmanship and councillorship seats across the 30 local government areas (LGAs) of Osun State. The Chairman of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC), Hashim Abioye, officially declared the results on Saturday following a highly contentious poll. The electoral exercise, which proceeded despite warnings from both the police and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, was upheld based on a judgment from the Osun State High Court mandating OSSIEC to conduct elections to fill vacant positions. This decision defied efforts by law enforcement to halt the process, including the…

The Lagos State Police Command has successfully rescued six children from an abandoned building in Ejigbo, Lagos State. Acting swiftly upon receiving a distress call around noon on Tuesday, the police responded to reports that children, aged between 7 to 13 years old, were left unattended in the residential structure. Confirming the operation, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, disclosed that the case was immediately escalated to the Gender Unit at Ikeja Police Headquarters. “Upon receiving reports of minors being left alone in a residential house, the Ejigbo Police Station swiftly transferred the case to…

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…