Author: Platform Times Newspaper

In a fresh wave of violence in Nigeria’s Northwestern region, bandits have abducted a traditional ruler, Mohammed Isa-Daya, along with his two sons and six others in Kebbi State. The attack took place on Saturday night in Kanya district, located in Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area of the state. The assailants stormed the community, whisking away nine people in total, including the district head. In the process, one person was killed, and three others sustained gunshot injuries. The injured victims are currently receiving treatment at the General Hospital Riba. The incident has raised concerns, especially following recent comments by President Bola…

Wema Bank has partnered with the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs to launch the MOWA x SARA Accelerator Programme, an initiative aimed at empowering 500,000 women across Nigeria with essential vocational and business management skills. The programme, which was unveiled during a recent Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony in Abuja, is designed to promote gender inclusion and economic empowerment, targeting women in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Over the next 24 months, the initiative will equip women with the tools needed to thrive personally and professionally through a combination of soft skills, business management training, and…

Daud Olatunji Prominent Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has rejected claims that politicians are behind the surge in banditry in northern Nigeria. Instead, he attributes the crisis to the long-standing neglect of marginalized communities, particularly herdsmen, who are now demanding education and a better future for their children. In an exclusive interview with The PUNCH, Gumi dismissed allegations of political involvement in sponsoring the bandits, stressing that the insecurity ravaging the northern region is a grassroots issue, driven by years of deprivation. “No politician is sponsoring these people. We are all victims. The opposition is not even behind this.…

Daud Olatunji The Victory Life Bible Church International (VLBC INT’L) has honoured the legacy of the late Reverend Fola Achudume with cash awards and skill training programmes aimed at fostering entrepreneurship. PLATFORM TIMES reports that the initiatives were announced during the conclusion of the church’s Youth on Fire Convention, tagged “Alive,” which saw an outpouring of spiritual fervour and leadership transitions. Lead Pastor of VLBC INT’L, Apostle Lawrence Achudume, highlighted the event’s focus on youth entrepreneurship, reiterating the urgent need for young Nigerians to take control of their economic future. “The future belongs to entrepreneurs, not employees,” he declared, emphasizing…

As Nigeria marked the 2024 Pensioners Day, the Ogun State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) has  called on the state government to urgently review the consequential increase in pensions for retirees. The union emphasized that the economic hardships faced by pensioners were exacerbated by the lack of action on adjustments that had been promised since 2022. Speaking at the Pensioners Day event held at the NUP Secretariat in Abeokuta over the weekend, the state chairman of the union, Waidi Oloyede, expressed frustration over the stalled efforts to adjust pensions in line with the approved 2019 federal government…

Ayomide Awe Medical experts have advised Nigerians to walk for at least 30 minutes daily, amounting to 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise weekly, to improve overall health and prevent life-threatening conditions like cancer, stroke, and cardiovascular diseases. This recommendation was made on Saturday during a 6km Endurance Walk in Abeokuta, organized by the Physiotherapy Department of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, to commemorate the 2024 World Walk Day. The global event, marked annually on October 5, was themed “Walk More, Stress Less” this year. Participants, including hospital staff, journalists and broadcasters  and members of the public, embarked…

As Nigeria commemorates World Teachers’ Day, the Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called for significant improvements in the welfare and working conditions of teachers across the state. In a statement released on Saturday in Abeokuta, the state capital, the PDP under the leadership of Hon. (Dr.) Sikirulai Ogundele emphasised the critical need to enhance the quality of life and professional environment for educators, stressing that this is essential for the advancement of Nigeria’s educational system. The statement, signed by the PDP’s State Publicity Secretary, Austin Oniyokor, acknowledged the global theme for the 2024 Teachers’ Day…

The Ondo Command of the Western Nigeria Security Network, commonly known as Amotekun, has apprehended a family of seven for alleged involvement in serial looting, including the theft of bags of rice from an orphanage home. The suspects, identified as 42-year-old John Avor, his wife Mary Avor, 38, and their five children, were reportedly caught engaging in a string of burglaries targeting food items in the state. Amotekun Commander, Adetunji Adeleye, disclosed the arrest at the corps’ headquarters in Akure, the Ondo State capital. According to Adeleye, the family had been operating as a coordinated unit, looting food supplies from…

Ayomide Awe The Lilypond Export Command (LEXC) of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has recorded an impressive revenue of $937,357,129.90 in duty payments on cargo shipments between June and September 2024. This figure marks a significant success in Nigeria’s efforts to boost exports and diversify its economy beyond oil. The Customs Area Controller of the Command, Ajibola Odusanya, disclosed this during a visit by the management of Great Achievers Magazine, led by its publisher, Yomi Ogunsanu, at the Command’s headquarters in Lagos on Thursday. According to Odusanya, the substantial revenue growth underscores the Command’s efficiency in processing exports and the…

Daud Olatunji A legal battle is brewing ahead of the Ogun State local government elections as a lawyer and chairmanship aspirant for Sagamu Local Government Area, Prince Adebayo Ogunmeno, has taken the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC) to court over the selection of the party’s candidate for the November 16 polls. In a suit filed at the Federal High Court, Abeokuta, Ogunmeno is seeking an order to compel OGSIEC to remove the name of Afolabi Jubril Odulate, the APC’s chairmanship candidate for Sagamu, from the ballot. He alleges that the ruling party unilaterally…