Author: Platform Times Newspaper

The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, on Monday, provided justification for the recent police raid on the headquarters of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Abuja, attributing the action to national security concerns. Egbetokun, speaking at a Youth Summit organized by the police, responded to questions regarding the force’s opposition to the ongoing hardship protest.  He emphasized that while the police are not inherently against protests, it is their duty to manage them responsibly.  According to the IGP, intelligence gathered by the police suggested that the protest could be exploited by agents of destabilization with the intent to undermine…

By: Quadri Yahya  The last time Abdulrosheed Fadipe had a reason to be at his local government Secretariat (Ila, Osun State) for a certificate, it took one week to finally get a copy. Why so? Almost all the processes involved are manually carried out. “The manual process takes a longer time”, he said in a chat. “At one time, when we wanted to collect primary 6 certificates, we had to wait for almost a week before we were contacted at the council. At the end of the day, they had to typewrite the name of the recipient.” Such analogue methods…

Prof. Ayodele Thomas Odunlami, a professor of Broadcast Journalism, is set to deliver the 119th Inaugural Lecture at Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) on Thursday, August 13, 2024. The event will take place at the OGD Lecture Theatre on the main campus in Ago-Iwoye, with Prof. Ayodeji Agboola, the Vice-Chancellor, serving as the chairman. Prof. Odunlami, who currently serves as the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and holds the distinction of being the first Professor of Mass Communication at OOU, will present a lecture titled “(Re)Moving The Ancient Landmarks? How Technology Deconstructs The Mass Media.” In an interview, Professor…

It is important to state that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is known for MAKING men. Those that are close to him confirmed that he does not say no to request for help. He is said to be a giver; perhaps he learnt that from Chief M.K.O Abiola. Clearly, he has his eyes on that seat he is occupying today for over 30 years.He worked towards it with all his energy and he built bridges all over the country to achieve that aim. That implied preparation and building of bridges across the country is not cheap at all.You need money and…

In a concerted effort to address the rising challenges of irregular migration, Paola Pace, the Interim Chief of Mission for the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Nigeria, alongside the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and international journalists, convened on Saturday for a virtual seminar to discuss strategic approaches.  The seminar, titled “Migration Dialogue,” was organized by the Journalists International Forum For Migration (JIFORM) and focused on the theme, “Migration Trends: Threats and Opportunities.” During the seminar, Pace, who served as the guest speaker, underscored the importance of continuous capacity building, the use of…

The South-West region emerged as the top beneficiary of the N281.47 billion Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) allocations to local government areas in July, an analysis of the disbursement has revealed. The zone, which comprises 137 local government areas, received N63.95 billion, accounting for 22.72% of the entire sum. The North-West, with 186 local government areas, closely followed, receiving N62.78 billion or 22.3% of the total allocation. The oil-rich South-South region, with 123 local government areas, came third, securing N44.52 billion, representing 15.82% of the total disbursement. Meanwhile, the North-Central zone, which has 115 local government areas, received N38.11 billion,…

Four major Nigerian banks are  grappling with the implications of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) stringent recapitalisation policy, potentially leading to the loss of their brand identities. An investigation revealed that these banks are deeply concerned following the CBN’s recent approval of the acquisition of Unity Bank.  This move is aimed at preventing another bank failure, a scenario the CBN is keen to avoid under its new regulatory regime. The CBN’s recapitalisation directive, issued on March 28, 2024, requires commercial, merchant, and non-interest banks in Nigeria to significantly strengthen their capital bases by April 1, 2026.  The policy stipulates…

Top officials of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) have been grilled by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over allegations of mismanagement or diversion of the N90 billion released by the Federal Government to subsidise the 2024 Hajj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. Sources within the ICPC confirmed that the officials were apprehended in their offices after failing to respond to multiple invitations from the anti-graft agency.  They were subsequently taken to the ICPC headquarters, where they were subjected to extensive interrogation regarding the handling of the subsidy funds. A source at the commission, who…

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on President Bola Tinubu to initiate an investigation into the utilization of a $1.5 billion World Bank loan, which was allocated to Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for poverty reduction and social protection.  The organization is urging the President to direct the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), along with relevant anti-corruption agencies, to thoroughly investigate how these funds were spent. In a statement signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP highlighted the necessity for any individuals found to have…

The  Senate has  rebuked former President Olusegun Obasanjo for his recent assertion that members of the National Assembly fix their own salaries and allowances. In a statement issued on Sunday, Yemi Adaramodu, spokesperson for the Senate, described Obasanjo’s claims as not only inaccurate but also uncharitable, stressing that the National Assembly has no role in determining its remuneration. On Friday, Obasanjo had criticized the practice of lawmakers determining their pay, labeling it as “immoral” and against the principles of good governance.  The former president emphasized that it is the exclusive duty of the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC)…