Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The Kano State Private Health Institution Management Agency (PHIMA) has shut down four medicine patent facilities in Rogo Local Government Area for operating illegally and failing to comply with the agency’s regulations. This action is part of ongoing efforts to sanitize the healthcare sector across the state. The Director General of PHIMA, Professor Salisu Tofa, led a team of inspectors on Friday to the affected facilities, where various breaches of healthcare laws were discovered. Represented by a Director at the agency, Abdussalam Zarewa, Prof. Tofa emphasized that the exercise was crucial to ensuring the proper regulation of health services in…

In a powerful address at the 10th anniversary celebration of the Report Women Programme in Lagos, former Ogun State Governor Olusegun Osoba has emphasized the critical role women play in Nigeria’s battle against corruption and injustice. The event, organized by the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) and supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, served as a platform to highlight the importance of women’s leadership and representation in the media and society. Mr. Osoba, who served as governor from 1999 to 2003, lamented the historical marginalization of women’s voices, stating, “For too long, we’ve overlooked the voices…

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has sought the assistance of Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to track down two Nigerian nationals accused of defrauding American healthcare providers of $13 million through a sophisticated online scheme. The suspects, Babatunde Shodiya and Yinka Jamiu, have been indicted by a grand jury in the U.S. District Court of Minnesota for orchestrating a fraudulent operation that spanned over four years, from 2020 to 2024. According to sources familiar with the case, the FBI reached out to the EFCC, urging Nigeria’s foremost anti-corruption agency to locate and apprehend the suspects, who are…

Patricia Adenike Balogun The day I learnt that Nigerians had returned to singing “Nigeria, We Hail Thee” as its National Anthem instead of “Arise, O Compatriots” was one of my favourite moments as a Nigerian. During my formative years, I recall reciting the National Anthem (“Nigeria, We Hail Thee”) at school assemblies until it was modified in 1978. Although I didn’t fully comprehend its meaning or intent at the time, the composition and wordings resonated with me in unanticipated ways. In 1978, Nigeria chose “Arise, O Compatriots” as its new national song, and society continued onwards. The reintroduction of the…

Deborah Hundenu In a shocking revelation, former chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Chief Tony Okocha, has publicly admitted to rigging local council elections during the administration of former Governor Rotimi Amaechi. Okocha, who served as Chief of Staff under Amaechi’s leadership between 2007 and 2015, made the startling confession during a televised interview on Channels TV. Okocha’s admission has sparked widespread reactions, with many questioning the integrity of the political processes during Amaechi’s administration. Speaking on the programme, which SaharaReporters monitored on Thursday evening, Okocha stated that he actively participated in election rigging during the…

The Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Prof. Babatunde Kehinde, has called for concerted efforts to combat Nigeria’s escalating food crisis. Speaking at the 2024 Annual Colloquium of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Ogun State Chapter, held at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Abeokuta, Kehinde emphasized the urgency of galvanizing both public and private sectors to address the growing challenges of food insecurity. At the event themed “Galvanizing Public and Private Stakeholders Toward Addressing Food Crisis in Nigeria: Public Relations as Key Driver,” Kehinde commended NIPR for spotlighting food security, asserting that Public Relations (PR)…

The Federal High Court in Abuja has barred the Directorate of Road Traffic Services, popularly known as the Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO), from stopping, impounding, or confiscating vehicles, as well as imposing fines on motorists. The court ruled that such actions are unlawful and constitute a violation of fundamental rights. Justice Evelyn Maha, who delivered the judgment on Thursday, issued the order following a suit filed by human rights lawyer, Abubakar Marshal. Marshal, in a fundamental rights enforcement suit, argued that the VIO and other respondents had no legal authority to stop vehicles or punish motorists in such a manner.…

The Federal Government, through the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), is set to embark on a $750 million World Bank-funded project to provide electricity for 17.5 million Nigerians. The REA’s Managing Director, Abba Aliyu, announced the upcoming initiative during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily program on Thursday. The project, tagged the Distributed Renewable Energy Scaleup, is designed to expand electricity access in rural areas using renewable energy sources. Aliyu emphasized that the initiative, slated to begin in November, is among the most ambitious electrification projects globally. “For example, there’s a new project that we are starting next month called…

A former Acting Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Folashodun Shonubi, has said he learnt that there were intrigues and politics in the naira redesign exercise carried out in 2022. Shonubi, then Deputy Governor (Operations) before his appointment as Acting CBN Governor, said the former Governor of the CBN, Godwin Emefiele, told him and others that there were intrigues and politics in the whole exercise. Shonubi, now retired, who is the Prosecution’s third witness, made this claim in reaction to a question from Emefiele’s lawyer, Olalekan Ojo, at the resumed hearing in the trial of the ex-governor of…

A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Maitama has granted former Taraba State Governor Darius Ishaku bail set at N150 million as he faces serious corruption charges. Ishaku, alongside Bello Yero, the former permanent secretary of the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, was arraigned on Monday on a 15-count charge including criminal breach of trust, conspiracy, and the conversion of public funds. Both defendants pleaded “not guilty” to the charges when they were presented in court. During a session on Thursday, their legal teams moved for bail applications. Prosecution counsel Rotimi Jacobs indicated he would not oppose…