Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has directed all banks and financial institutions to publish details of dormant accounts, unclaimed balances, and other financial assets on their websites. This directive is outlined in a new circular issued by the apex bank on Monday, titled Guidelines on Management of Dormant Accounts, Unclaimed Balances, and Other Financial Assets in Banks and Financial Institutions in Nigeria. A dormant account is defined as any bank account that has not been active for at least one year. Under the new guidelines, financial institutions are required to display key information about these accounts, including the names…

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has announced new penalties for individuals and businesses involved in electricity meter bypassing and unauthorized access. PLATFORM TIMES reports that the measures, part of a revised ‘Order on Unauthorised Access, Meter Tampering, and By-pass,’ were posted by the commission on its official X page on Tuesday. NERC said the policy, which aims to curb electricity theft, came into effect on January 22, 2025. According to NERC, the new penalties align with the Electricity Act 2023 and the Customer Protection Regulations (CPR) 2023, which permit Distribution Companies (DisCos) to disconnect unauthorized connections without prior notice…

Prince Olusanjo Olurebi, a leading candidate for the vacant stool of Onisango of Sango in Ado Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State, has expressed his commitment to human capital development and philanthropy as part of his agenda if chosen as the traditional ruler of the town. During his presentation to the Olowu of Owu, Oba Saka Matemilola, at the Oke Ago Owu Palace in Abeokuta, Prince Olurebi emphasized the importance of making a positive impact on the lives of his people. He stated that as a traditional leader, it is essential to bring smiles to the faces of the…

Daud Olatunji Violence erupted across Osun State on Monday, resulting in the deaths of seven individuals, including the former chairman of Irewole Local Government, Mr. Aderemi Abbas. The bloodshed followed fierce clashes between supporters of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), exacerbated by a contentious Court of Appeal ruling regarding local government elections. The violence, which involved the use of guns, machetes, and other weapons, was most intense in local government areas like Ikire, Iragbiji, and Olaoluwa, as rival groups fought over control of council secretariats. Abbas was reportedly gunned down in Ikire after…

Daud Olatunji The Nigerian Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has issued a clarification regarding the number of military officers and athletes who applied for Canadian visas to attend the ongoing Invictus Games in Vancouver, Canada. The DHQ explained that only three military officers, 21 athletes, and one physiotherapist submitted applications for the visa, contrary to circulating reports that claimed over 70 officers and soldiers, including the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, had sought the visa. PLATFORM TIMES reports that the clarification became imperative following the growing public concerns after General Musa revealed last Thursday that the Canadian High Commission…

Daud Olatunji The Ogun State Police Command has officially declared popular musician Habeeb Okikiola Olalomi, widely known as “Portable,” wanted following his involvement in a violent attack on government officials. The Ogun State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, CSP Omolola Odutola in a press release, confirmed that Portable, along with a gang of thugs, launched a brutal assault on officials from the Ogun State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development on February 5, 2025. Odutola said the attack occurred during an enforcement exercise at Oke-Osa, Tigbo Ilu Ota, in the Ota area of Ogun State. PLATFORM…

Daud Olatunji The Apetu of Ipetumodu, Oba Joseph Oloyede, has found himself in the custody of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) after being indicted for a staggering $4.2 million COVID-19 relief fund fraud. PLATFORM TIMES reports that the Nigerian monarch, who holds dual citizenship in the U.S. and Nigeria, faces a 13-count indictment in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, accused of orchestrating a scheme to defraud the U.S. government. Oba Oloyede, who had been missing from his royal duties since March 2024, was arrested on May 4, 2024, following an arrest warrant issued by…

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has donated 100 tonnes of dates to the federal government of Nigeria as part of its annual humanitarian relief efforts. A statement from the Saudi Embassy on Monday indicated that the donation to Nigeria is a gift from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. It said that Amb. Faisal Al-Ghamdi, the ambassador of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to Nigeria, donated the dates during an official ceremony. The kingdom conveyed its commitment to humanitarian causes. The embassy said the initiative was facilitated by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief)…

The former chairman of the now-defunct Skye Bank, Tunde Ayeni, has expressed reluctance in submitting himself for a DNA test to settle a paternity dispute regarding a child claimed by his ex-friend,Adaobi Alagwu. Ayeni made the statement while testifying in a petition he filed before the Customary Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Dawaki, Abuja, on Monday. Ayeni, who is also a lawyer, revealed that he had initially agreed to undergo a DNA test in 2023 at a facility in the United Kingdom but withdrew his consent after discovering what he described as fraud in the process. He…

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on Monday, arraigned Adam Yusuf, a Deputy Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), over alleged N1.1 billion money laundering offences. Yusuf was arraigned alongside a company, Ummays Hummayd Energy Ltd, allegedly operated by him, before Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal High Court in Abuja on a three-count amended charge. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that while Yusuf is the 1st defendant in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/158/2023, the company is the 2nd defendant. The duo pleaded not guilty to the counts when they were…