Author: Platform Times Newspaper

Toyyibat Qasim The Ogun State House of Assembly has thrown its weight behind the establishment of state police in Nigeria, adopting a resolution in support of a proposed constitutional amendment to create State Police Services. The resolution was passed during plenary on Tuesday following the consideration of a report by the Assembly’s Ad Hoc Committee on Constitutional Review, chaired by a former Speaker, Olakunle Oluomo. The proposed amendment is contained in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026, which seeks to provide a constitutional framework for the establishment of state police services across the…

Firdaus Obiremi Two workers’ organisations, the Workers’ Rights Campaign (WRC) and the Socialist Workers League (SWL), have demanded justice, compensation for victims and an independent investigation into the killings and alleged abuses recorded during the 2020 #EndSARS protests. The groups also called on the Federal Government to issue a public apology to Nigerians affected by the crackdown, insisting that six years after the nationwide demonstrations, victims and families of those killed were still waiting for justice. They made the demands in separate statements on Tuesday to mark the sixth anniversary of the protests, which erupted in October 2020 over widespread…

The Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja has convicted a former banker, Chukwuebuka Nweke, for unlawfully accessing a colleague’s computer in connection with the unauthorised withdrawal of N1m from a customer’s bank account. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission disclosed that Justice Ismail Ijelu convicted Nweke on Monday, October 19, 2026, after finding him guilty of the offence. According to the EFCC, investigations established that Nweke, on June 21, 2025, accessed a desktop computer assigned to another employee, Emmanuella Anyanwu, without lawful authority. The commission said the unauthorised access facilitated the withdrawal of N1m from the bank account of…

Daud Olatunji The Ogun State Police Command has rescued 11 Ghanaian nationals allegedly held hostage in Sagamu after being lured to Nigeria with promises of securing Canadian and Spanish visas. The victims, comprising seven males and four females, were rescued by operatives of the command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit following intelligence received on October 19, 2026. The command disclosed the development in a statement issued on Tuesday by its Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi B. Babaseyi. According to the police, operatives swiftly mobilised to the suspected hideout after receiving actionable intelligence and successfully rescued all 11 victims. Preliminary investigations reportedly indicated…

…. Infected Woman Arrives From Uganda, Receives Treatment At Private Hospital Before Confirmation …Health Authorities Intensify Surveillance, Place Contacts Under Monitoring To Prevent Further Spread Toyyibat Qasim The Federal Government has confirmed a case of Ebola virus disease in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and identified 44 contacts as health authorities intensify efforts to prevent further transmission. The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, following laboratory confirmation of the infection. According to the minister, the patient, a woman who recently arrived in Nigeria on an international…

Daud Olatunji Elder statesman and National Leader of the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, Pa Reuben Famuyide Fasoranti, has died at the age of 100. His death was announced on Tuesday by the Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, in a statement personally signed by him in Akure, the state capital. Aiyedatiwa described the late Fasoranti as a revered elder statesman whose century-long life was defined by wisdom, integrity and selfless service to Ondo State, Yorubaland and Nigeria. The governor said the deceased’s contributions to the development of the state and the Yoruba nation, as well as his principled positions on justice…

Ayomide Awe The Federal Government has warned against treating telemedicine as a substitute for doctors and physical healthcare facilities, insisting that digital health technology must complement medical professionals rather than replace their expertise, compassion and clinical judgement. The government said although telemedicine could expand access to healthcare, particularly in underserved and rural communities, its effectiveness depended on integrating digital services with competent health workers, diagnostic facilities, essential medicines and emergency medical care. The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Health, Dr Salma Ibrahim-Anas, stated this on Tuesday in Abuja at the Nigerian Telehealth Conference 2.0, organised by Mobihealth International.…

Daud Olatunji The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested an Abuja-based businessman, Innocent Ozoemena Ezuma, over allegations that he defrauded a Ukrainian investor of more than $120m in a scheme allegedly spanning nearly two decades. The 57-year-old businessman was arrested in Abuja on Monday, October 19, 2026, and remains in the commission’s custody, according to the EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, who confirmed the arrest on Tuesday. Ezuma is being investigated for alleged advance fee fraud, criminal breach of trust, criminal conversion, obtaining money under false pretences, theft and money laundering. The arrest reportedly followed collaboration with international investigators and…

By  Prof. Jide Akindola People use platforms to transfer money, communicate, study, shop and conduct business. Yet cybercriminals search for weaknesses in systems and in the people who use them. Strong passwords and security software matter, but they are not enough. As threats grow more sophisticated, security tools must communicate better with people. Artificial intelligence (AI), integrated into user interface design, offers a way forward. Cybersecurity is often presented as a contest between hackers and technical defences. Yet many attacks succeed because people are deceived or pressured into making the wrong decision. Phishing messages imitate trusted organisations, while fraudulent websites…

Daud Olatunji The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has intensified efforts to enforce regulatory standards for mobile devices in Nigeria, warning that phones and other SIM-enabled devices that fail to meet its approval and verification requirements may be restricted from accessing telecommunications networks. The commission said the move was part of efforts to strengthen monitoring of devices imported, distributed and sold in the country, protect consumers and promote fair competition among businesses in the telecommunications sector. In a public notice issued on Monday, the NCC reminded original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), original device manufacturers (ODMs), importers, distributors, dealers and retailers of their…