Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Healthcare and legal professionals across Nigeria and the diaspora have called on the Federal Government to urgently implement the Mental Health Act, warning that the continued delay is undermining national development and worsening the country’s mental health crisis. The call was made at the second Mental Health and Law Colloquium, themed “From Mental Health Legislation to Action: The Time is Now”. The event, held in a hybrid format, brought together mental health experts, legal practitioners, policymakers, and advocates united in their demand for swift action. Dr. Agboola, Provost of Aro Psychiatric Hospital, Abeokuta, who addressed journalists after the colloquium, expressed…

A broadcast journalist and political commentator, Olalekan Shoyinka, has faulted the recent claim by the Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that Governor Dapo Abiodun deliberately sidelined some regions of the state from hosting the ongoing National Sports Festival. Reacting to a statement credited to Hon. Abayomi Tella, a PDP chieftain, Shoyinka described the allegation as baseless and reflective of a pattern of “opposition for opposition’s sake.” In a piece titled “Ogun Needs Responsible Opposition, Not Baseless Accusations,” Shoyinka warned that the state’s opposition must move beyond “divisive rhetoric” and engage in fact-based criticism if it intends…

The Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has lashed out at Governor Dapo Abiodun over what it described as the “blatant exclusion” of Ogun West and the Ijebu axis of Ogun East from the hosting of the upcoming National Sports Festival, tagged Gateway Games 2025. In a strongly worded statement signed by its chairman, Hon. Abayomi Tella, and made available to PLATFORM TIMES on Sunday, the opposition party accused the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government of promoting regional bias and deepening lines of marginalisation through the lopsided distribution of festival venues. According to the PDP, none of…

Tragedy struck in Ifon, Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State, as the Ward 5 Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Nelson Adepoyigi, was gruesomely murdered by his abductors after a ransom was paid for his release. Adepoyigi was kidnapped last Monday while attempting to park his vehicle at his residence. His abduction sent shockwaves across the community, prompting urgent calls for his release. The kidnappers initially demanded a ransom of N100 million but later reduced it to N5 million after extensive negotiations. However, in a disturbing turn of events, two volunteers from Ifon who went to deliver…

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested an 80-year-old ex-convict, Ayuba Ashiru, an 82-year-old grandmother, Mrs. Uloma Uchechi Sunday, and her 32-year-old daughter, Chisom Uchechi, in separate drug raids across the country, with illegal substances valued at over N3.2 billion intercepted. In a statement issued on Sunday by the Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, the agency revealed that Ashiru, a convicted drug dealer who served a 10-year sentence from 2014 to 2024, was apprehended again on May 14 at Barazana Street, Dogarawa, Sabon Gari Local Government Area of Kaduna State. NDLEA operatives found 2.3 kilograms of…

Newly elected Catholic Pontiff, Pope Leo XIV, has reaffirmed the Church’s traditional stance on marriage, stating that the family is rooted in the “stable union between a man and a woman.” Pope Leo made the remarks on Friday during his first major public statement as head of the Catholic Church, addressing the Vatican’s diplomatic corps in a private audience ahead of his formal installation Mass on Sunday. The audience with ambassadors accredited to the Holy See is customary for a new pope, serving as an opportunity to outline his vision and priorities to representatives of world governments. In his speech,…

Capital City University, Kano, has secured full accreditation from the National Universities Commission (NUC) for seven of its academic programmes, marking a significant milestone in the institution’s drive for academic excellence. The approval followed the NUC’s accreditation exercise conducted in October and November 2024, with official confirmation conveyed via a letter dated April 30, 2025. The letter, signed by Engr. Abraham Chundusu, Acting Director of Accreditation, on behalf of the Executive Secretary, Prof. Abdullahi Yusuf Ribadu, affirms the commission’s endorsement of the university’s quality and standards. According to a statement released by the university’s management on Friday, the accredited programmes…

In a spirited move to boost morale and performance, Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has promised a cash reward of N2.5 million for each gold medal won by the state’s athletes at the forthcoming National Sports Festival, which kicks off on Sunday. The governor, who made the announcement during a visit to the athletes’ camp at Babcock University, Ilisan-Remo, Ikenne Local Government Area, also pledged N1.5 million for silver medalists and N1 million for those who win bronze. Additionally, each Ogun athlete participating in the festival is to receive N50,000 within 24 hours, the governor assured. “I understand that when…

An officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Abubakar Abdulkadir Mayos, has returned the Basic Travel Allowance (BTA) of a pilgrim which was found at the Yola Hajj Camp in Adamawa State. The incident, which took place on Saturday, saw Officer Mayos handing over the sum of $505 and 30 Saudi Riyals—equivalent to N822,038.07 at official exchange rates—to the rightful owner, Maimuna Salihu, a pilgrim from Taraba State. The handover was conducted on Sunday, May 18, 2025, in the presence of officials from the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), including the Commission’s Liaison Officer and the…

The Governing Council of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, has appointed Professor Carol Chinyelugo Arinze-Umobi as the Acting Vice-Chancellor of the institution, with effect from Monday, May 19, 2025. Professor Arinze-Umobi, a Professor of Human Rights and Family Law at the university’s Faculty of Law, was nominated by the Senate and subsequently approved by the Council in line with Section 5(13) of the Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment) Act, 2003. Her appointment was confirmed in a letter dated May 16, 2025, signed by the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council, Barrister Olugbenga Kukoyi. The letter noted that her tenure, as stipulated…