Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has alleged that N9 billion was distributed to instigate chaos during the recent #EndBadGovernance protests across the country. Force spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi made this revelation on Wednesday at the Civil Space Guard Conference in Abuja. The event, titled ‘AI, Free Press & Civil Space: Tools, Challenges and Future of Investigative Reporting,’ was organized by the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ). According to Adejobi, the police had initially warned that the protests could be hijacked by foreign mercenaries, but due to a prevailing trust deficit, many Nigerians dismissed the caution. “People were trying to…

Amid escalating poverty, food insecurity, and frequent power outages, former Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Solomon Dalung, has called on Nigerians to take to the streets in protest against what he describes as “poor governance and misplaced priorities” by the administration. In a post on his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Thursday, Dalung expressed frustration over the country’s deteriorating living conditions, urging citizens to “speak the language the government understands” rather than endure worsening hardships in silence. “The northern states are especially hard-hit, with blackouts compounding issues of hunger, poverty, and misery that have taken citizens hostage,” Dalung wrote.…

The House of Representatives has advocated for an immediate ban on the sale of alcohol and psychoactive substances within and around motor parks across Nigeria. This decision was reached on Thursday following a motion presented by Mr. Abbas Adigun, the member representing Ibadan North-East/Ibadan South-East Federal Constituency in Oyo State. During the plenary session in Abuja, Mr. Adigun highlighted a report from the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), which indicates that alcohol and drug consumption are responsible for nearly 90 percent of road accidents in the country. He warned that the widespread availability of alcohol and psychoactive substances in motor…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has announced the recovery of over N248 billion in corruption proceeds over the last one year. The anti-graft agency disclosed that it reclaimed £53,000 and €172,000, reinforcing its commitment to combating financial crimes. Wilson Uwajaren, the EFCC’s Director of Public Affairs, revealed these figures on Thursday while providing updates on the agency’s recent activities. He also noted that €5,000 was recovered specifically for victims of crimes in Spain. In the effort to curb cybercrime, the EFCC has secured more than 35 convictions related to the abuse of the Naira at social events, Uwajaren…

The Federal Government announced on Thursday that it has provided financial relief to millions across the country. The initiative, spearheaded by the Conditional Cash Transfer programme, has so far reached 25 million Nigerians with ₦25,000 each, the government said. During a briefing at the State House in Abuja following a National Economic Council (NEC) meeting presided over by Vice President Kashim Shettima, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, highlighted the administration’s commitment to cushioning the impact of rising living costs. Edun detailed that the cash transfer scheme has directly benefited five million households across…

Daud Olatunji Ogun State Labour Party has officially launched its campaign for the 2024 Local Government Election, with state chairman Lukman Abiodun Jagun leading a rallying call for change. Speaking at a press conference, Jagun stressed that the Labour Party’s mission to revamp governance at the grassroots level in Ogun State, promising a new era focused on infrastructural development, agricultural progress, primary healthcare, and transparency. Addressing an audience that included the party’s former governorship candidate Dr. Kehinde Sogunle, party senatorial leaders, local government candidates, and supporters, Jagun painted the Labour Party as the answer to Ogun’s challenges. “We are not…

Daud Olatunji The Ogun State High Court, sitting in Abeokuta, has declared the administrative charges imposed by the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC) on political parties ahead of the November 16 local government election as illegal, null, and void. PLATFORM TIMES reports that the ruling is seen as a victory for the 16 political parties that challenged the fees, arguing they were unconstitutional and unlawful. The plaintiffs in the case argued that the fees—set at N250,000 for each male chairmanship candidate, N150,000 for each male councillorship candidate, and N100,000 for each female chairmanship or councillorship candidate—violated the rights of…

Daud Olatunji In a resounding call to bridge educational disparities, Prof. Grace Sokoya, a distinguished scholar at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), emphasized the urgent need for investment in girl-child education as a powerful strategy to break cycles of poverty and improve psychological well-being across Nigerian families. Delivering FUNAAB’s 94th Inaugural Lecture on October 30, 2024, Prof. Sokoya highlighted the transformative impact of education on girls, arguing that it equips them to advocate for their rights, make informed decisions, and drive positive societal change. In her lecture titled, “Afrocentric and Gendered-Constructions of Psychological Well-Being in Families: The Sojourn…

The National President of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), Dr. Tope Osundara, has confirmed the release of Dr. Ganiyat Popoola, a member who was abducted ten months ago from the Senior Staff Quarters at the National Eye Centre, Kaduna. Dr. Popoola, who spent close to a year in captivity, has now been reunited with her family. Dr. Osundara who spoke with PLATFORM TIMES exclusively on Wednesday, expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Coordinating Minister of Health, Prof. Ali Pate, and the Minister of State for Health, Dr. Tunji Alausa, for their commitment to the cause. He…

…As 32% of Nigerians Remain Financially Excluded The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) disclosed on Wednesday that about 54 million Nigerian adults now hold certified bank accounts, representing 52 percent of the adult population in 2023. This revelation was shared in Abuja during the Financial Literacy Fair, part of activities marking the 2024 World Savings Day. CBN noted that while 5 percent of the adult population is captured under an “other formal” financial inclusion category, 11 percent are informally included in financial systems. However, a significant 32 percent, or roughly 33.9 million Nigerians, remain financially excluded, unable to access formal…