Author: Platform Times Newspaper

A 40-year-old unemployed man, Cletus Gandu, has stirred emotions and highlighted the depth of Nigeria’s economic crisis by his testimony in court.  Gandu, charged with criminal trespass and theft by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), admitted to stealing two tubers of yam due to hunger. “Hunger pushed me to steal yam on two occasions. I beg for leniency,” Gandu pleaded at the Magistrate’s Court in Kafanchan.  Magistrate Michael Bawa, after Gandu’s guilty plea, deferred sentencing to August 6 and ordered his remand in custody. The NSCDC Prosecutor, Marcus Audu, relayed to the court that Alice Daniel, the…

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, has warned that the military would step in to assist the police and other security agencies if the violent protests in some parts of the country goes out of control. Musa gave the warning while briefing newsmen on the activities of the protesters reporting to Valence in some parts of the country on day one of the protests. He said that the military had been on standby providing support to the police and other security agencies since the beginning of the protest, adding that they would not stand by and watch…

Some perishable food prices have crashed by about 50 per cent amid the ongoing nationwide hunger protest, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports. The protest with hashtag #EndBadGovernanceinNigeria is planned to end on 10 August. It is aimed at calling the Federal Government’s attention to the economic hardship facing Nigerians. Some traders and buyers at Ile-epo food market at the Alimosho/Agege area of  Lagos State confirmed the development in separate interviews with NAN on Friday in Lagos. NAN reports that local food markets across the area witnessed less activities than usual due to the ongoing nationwide…

A team of pro bono lawyers has successfully secured the release of 12 protesters detained by the Lagos State Police Command. PLATFORM TIMES reports that these protesters were arrested at the Lekki Toll Gate and other parts of Lagos while exercising their constitutional right to peaceful protest. The legal team, operating under the auspices of Lawyers for the Rule of Law and Human Rights, has been providing free legal services to participants in the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria movement.  Human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong, a prominent member of this team, announced the release on Friday evening through his official X (formerly Twitter) account.…

The Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) has disconnected the power supply to the Kaduna Government House due to outstanding debts amounting to N2.9 billion.  This action underscores the escalating financial crisis within the state and the broader implications for governance and public services. Abdulazeez Abdullahi, Head of Corporate Communication at KEDCO, disclosed that the government house had not settled its electricity bills for seven months, leading to the disconnection.  He emphasized that the disconnection was not a hasty decision but followed extensive consultations and reconciliations with state officials. “The outstanding balance for electricity consumed from January 2024 to July 2024…

The De Renaissance Patriots Foundation has announced the passing of its President, Prince Hakeem Adelani Adeniji-Adele, in the early hours of Friday, August 2, 2024. He was 66 years old. The announcement, made by the Foundation’s Secretary General, Mr. Yomi Tokosi, conveyed the profound sorrow felt by the group.  “With heavy hearts, I announce the tragic loss of our President, Prince Adelani Gbogboade Adeniji-Adele. “ We lost him early this morning to the cold hands of death. His dedication, resourcefulness, and leadership will be sorely missed,” Tokosi said. A statement issued from the Media Office of the group stated that…

 The Police Special Fraud Unit in Ikoyi, Lagos, has uncovered a high-profile hacking scheme involving two students, who allegedly infiltrated MTN Nigeria Communications’ systems, stealing data and airtime valued at N1.9 billion. Timothy Fashina Oluwabukola, a student of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY), Abeokuta, and Anthony Imonina Odemerho, from Resign Regal Academy in Benin City, Edo State, have been charged with conspiracy, unauthorized access, and unlawful conversion. The defendants were brought before the Federal High Court in Lagos on multiple counts, including conspiracy and unauthorized access to MTN’s Application Programming Interface (API).  The arraignment was overseen by Justice Akintayo Aluko. Despite…

Daud Olatunji The Kano State Police command has arrested 269 suspects for their involvement in violent acts, destruction, and looting.  According to Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, the Police Public Relations Officer in Kano, the suspects exploited the nationwide strike to unleash chaos, targeting both public and private properties.  Items recovered from the suspects include many jerricans of 25 litres of groundnut oil, a large quantity of stationeries, foodstuffs, and other valuable properties.  These individuals are currently held at the command’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and will be charged upon completion of investigations. Simultaneously, the Nasarawa State Police Command apprehended 25 suspected…

 Over 30 million phone lines in Nigeria are at risk of disconnection for not being properly linked to a National Identification Number (NIN), according to the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON).  The revelation was made by ALTON Chairman, Gbenga Adebayo, who noted that these lines span various digital devices including car trackers, MiFi units, WiFi devices, and Point of Sale (POS) machines. “The numbers are staggering. We are looking at potentially over 30 million SIM cards, including those in various digital devices, that have not been properly linked to the NIN. Many of these SIMs are in…

The Minister of Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, has denied accusations that he directed telecommunications companies in Nigeria to tamper with network services as nationwide protests began on Thursday. Amidst growing unrest, Nigerians using major telecom providers such as MTN and Airtel took to social media to voice their frustrations over unusually slow internet speeds.  These disruptions led to widespread speculation that the Tinubu administration had instructed telecom companies to interfere with network services to hinder the protests. Addressing these concerns during an interview on Channels TV, the Minister  denied the allegations, stating, “There’s no instruction to tamper with (phone) networks.”…