Author: Platform Times Newspaper

A Jigawa State High Court has sentenced four individuals to death by hanging for the brutal murder of a 30-year-old woman, Salamatu Musa, over allegations of witchcraft. The verdict was delivered by Justice Ado Yusuf Birnin-Kudu on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, after the court found the convicts guilty of criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide. The convicted individuals—Hassan Isah (55), Adama Yahaya (42), Abdullahi Yahaya (35), and Maryam Daso Yahaya (28)—were accused of conspiring to kill the deceased, whom they blamed for the death of their son through alleged witchcraft. The tragic incident occurred in 2019 at Kwan-Dole Village in Mallam-Madori…

The Chairman of the Edo State House of Assembly Committee on Health, Dr. Richard Edosa, has identified traditional institutions, churches, and a lack of knowledge in the medical profession as major contributors to Nigeria’s alarming rates of maternal and infant mortality. Edosa, who represents Oredo West constituency, made this assertion during a visit by the National Population Commission (NPC) team, led by Dr. Tony Aiyejina, to the Deputy Speaker of the House, Maria Edeko, at the Assembly Complex in Benin City. Speaking on the NPC’s 2024 Verbal and Social Autopsy (VASA) programme, Edosa lamented the high maternal mortality rate in…

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has responded to the Kwara State Government’s decision to sanction Hajia Fatimoh Nike Hamzat, a school teacher who recently assaulted a female Corps member serving at Government Day Junior Secondary School, Kulende, Ilorin. NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General YD Ahmed hailed the investigative panel set up by the state government for its objectivity and fairness in line with the Public Service Rules. Ahmed said the NYSC would not condone any form of maltreatment meted out on Corps members. He pointed out that as people who are on national assignment, and contributing to nation-building and the…

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has expressed strong opposition to the federal government’s student loan program, describing it as a burden that would further alienate the children of the poor from accessing higher education. The loan, which is being managed by the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), has sparked controversy since its introduction, with critics alleging that it has prompted universities to significantly increase tuition fees. Speaking on  a Television programme  on Thursday, ASUU President, Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, argued that the initiative is counterproductive and called for educational grants instead. “Our issue with NELFUND is that in a…

Ayomide Awe The 1974 set of the Lisabi Grammar School Alumni Association, Abeokuta, has marked its 50th anniversary with a series of events aimed at giving back to their alma mater and the wider community. The celebration commenced with a press briefing in Abeokuta on Wednesday, attended by members of the association from Nigeria and the diaspora. Speaking at the event, the chairman of the set, Chief Dauda Sokeye, highlighted the milestones the group had achieved over the years. He emphasized that the anniversary was not only a time for celebration but also an opportunity to foster the welfare of…

Police officers in Edo State reportedly fled after Kaduna Eboigbodin, a former chairperson of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), slumped and died during a heated dispute over his vehicle particulars at a checkpoint in Benin City. The tragic incident occurred on Monday along Upper Sakponba Road when Eboigbodin, who was driving with his wife, was stopped by police officers demanding to see his vehicle documents. According to sources, the deceased complied by presenting the requested particulars. However, a discrepancy in the documents reportedly led the officers to accuse him of driving a stolen vehicle. The situation escalated as the officers…

Daud Olatunji A flurry of testimonies from Nigerian university students on social media has exposed alarming allegations of corruption, harassment, and exploitation within the country’s postgraduate education system. The viral thread, initially sighted by PLATFORM TIMES, paints a grim picture of the hurdles students face during thesis defenses and other academic milestones. The allegations reveal a system marred by extortion, coercion, and abuse of power, with students compelled to offer bribes, gifts, and even sexual favors to lecturers and supervisors to advance their studies. “We Paid for Everything, Even Hotel Bills” One viral post, titled “On Postgraduate Courses and Thesis…

The Moshood Abiola Polytechnic Abeokuta Muslim Alumni Association (MAPAMA) has extended its congratulations to Architect (Dr) Adekoyejo Babatunde Jolaoso on his appointment as the new Rector of the institution. This was disclosed in a press statement signed by the Head of MAPAMA’s Media and Publicity Committee, Tajudeen Balogun, on Wednesday. The statement, issued on behalf of the Association’s National President, Prince Taofeek Oyeniyi, lauded Dr. Jolaoso’s appointment, describing it as well-deserved. “Dr. Jolaoso’s pedigree of focus, versatility, brilliance, diligence, and productivity made his emergence unsurprising. His impressive academic credentials and extensive experience inspire hope for a positive revolution and a…

An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) witness, Abubakar Hassan, has detailed how over N5 billion in education funds allocated to the Kwara State government under former Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed was allegedly misappropriated. Hassan, an assistant director of finance at the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), testified before the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin on Wednesday, during the resumed hearing of the corruption case. Led in evidence by EFCC counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, the witness revealed that the funds, earmarked for educational projects in primary and junior secondary schools between 2013 and 2015, were diverted under Ahmed’s administration. Hassan explained…

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has intensified its crackdown on drug trafficking, arresting 14,480 suspects and confiscating 2.4 million kilograms of illicit drugs in the first 10 months of the year. The NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), disclosed this on Wednesday during a briefing with the House of Representatives Committee on Narcotic Drugs in Abuja. Among those arrested were 15 notorious drug barons, while the agency secured 2,867 convictions within the same period. “Our seizures in 10 months amounted to 2.4 million kilograms of illicit drugs, which also surpassed last year’s record. We successfully located and destroyed…